Only Been Pretending
by loislane16
Summary: When Enjolras and Eponine first meet, they aren't too fond of each other. In fact, they can barely stand to be around each other. Will all that change when they both lose everything?
1. Chapter 1 - The Shadow

Chapter One

Eponine Thènardier sat on the front steps of the Gorbeau house where she lived with her parents and sister Azelma, watching the passing people and picked at her fingernails. She was seventeen years old, and her sister was fifteen, but they'd already experienced and seen more than most people. However, what they'd experienced wasn't necessarily good. In fact, their lived hadn't been "good" since she was very young. Now, their lives were pretty awful. Her father was a thief who had a gang called the Patron-Minette, and everyone knew to be afraid of them. Her mother was quite good at thievery as well. Eponine's clothes were tattered and thin, revealing patches of skin. Her tan colored skin was even darker due to the dirt that was caked into her pores. Her dark hair was a complete tangled mess with dirt matted into it as well. Her caramel eyes that once sparkled were now dull because of the life she'd lived. Her waist was unnaturally tiny, and her bones protruded from under her skin. This thinness was caused by her lack of meals. She and Azelma rarely got a proper meal and lived off scraps of stale bread or whatever else they could find. Her body was covered in dark, splotchy bruises and cuts, mostly caused by her father or by the man who thought he was her lover, Montparnasse. Despite the bruises and skinniness, she was incredibly tough. She had some strength to her. She'd learned to protect herself very well living in the slums of Paris. Azelma was treated the same way as Eponine most of the time, but sometimes less harshly because she did what their father asked without defiance. Eponine knew her father was a despicable human being, and she loathed him, but Azelma adored him. She did whatever he asked, no matter how dirty the deed. Azelma looked up to him and never disobeyed. It disgusted Eponine. Although she did work for her father, some of the things he wanted her to do didn't sit well with her. Therefore, she rebelled and fought against him, something that almost always ended with her getting a good beating. Eponine had a brother as well named Gavroche, but he'd left home at a very young age after getting fed up with being treated poorly.

Eponine's life hadn't always been this way. When she was a young girl, her parents owned an inn in Montfermeil. Life was good there. She and Azelma were pampered and spoiled. Eponine actually liked her father back then because it was before she'd figured out who he truly was. She and Azelma played with dolls and dressed in pretty dresses. Their lives first started to change when the little girl named Cosette came to live with them. Eponine was seven, Azelma was five, and Gavroche was just a baby when the little girl showed up with her mother at the inn one day, and her mother asked if Cosette could stay with them. The woman left the little girl there promising to send money and come back as soon as she had enough money to find somewhere to go. Eponine and Azelma first thought Cosette was going to be a playmate, but they quickly learned that she was there to work. Eponine's parents treated Cosette like a slave while they treated their own children like royalty. Only following their parents' example, Eponine and Azelma treated Cosette badly as well.

Everything really started to spiral out of control when the kind gentleman came to take Cosette away. He informed the Thènardier's that Cosette's mother had died, and she'd left Cosette in his care. The man paid the Thènardier's for their troubles and took the girl away. After Cosette was gone, the Thènardier's needed a replacement to do all the chores, and Eponine and Azelma became the replacements. Their parents worked them ruthlessly. They rarely got food, and they never got to play. If they didn't do their chores correctly or in a timely fashion, their parents would beat them. Eponine would always stand up for Azelma and take her beatings for her, which always increased her father's anger, but Eponine didn't care. She had resolved to always take care of her little sister even if her parents didn't. Eponine also had to care for Gavroche. She was basically a mother to him since his real mother didn't act like one. She did everything she could to protect her siblings, and when Gavroche got older, she took his beatings too. Sometimes her father would still beat them anyway, but Eponine would do what she could to prevent it. Her father started to drink which made him more violent. He started to get involved in more crimes and did more illegal deeds. This made her mother more agitated, and with everything else combined, things at home got worse for Eponine, Azelma, and Gavroche. Slowly, the money stopped coming in as customers no longer came to the inn. With no money, they were in danger of losing everything. Eventually, they did lose the inn and were forced to move. They ended up in Paris, living in the Gorbeau house. Shortly after arriving in Paris, Gavroche left, taking to the streets. He was only six then and it broke Eponine's heart. That had been four years prior, and she rarely saw the now ten year old Gavroche. As they settled into Paris, Thènardier got mixed into evil crowds and started his gang. That was how Eponine met the pit viper, Montparnasse because he was part of the Patron-Minette. Not only was he a member, but he was one of the most vicious. He was well-trained with a blade and served as the gang's assassin. At first, Eponine thought she and Montparnasse might be friends because he was around her age, but she found out that he had other intentions. He was quite taken with Eponine. When they got older, Montparnasse took advantage of Eponine more than once, and he'd make it clear that she would be his one day. She feared that it would actually happen. She feared that for the right price, her father would let Montparnasse drag her off to be his little wife. After all, her father wasn't too concerned about her person dignity because he already let the gang to what they pleased with her for a small price. Currently, she avoided Montparnasse as much as she could, but it was very hard when he was always around.

The only good thing that came out of Paris was Marius Pontmercy. He was a young student a little older than Eponine that lived in Eponine's building. After he moved in, he and Eponine became good friends. He was so kind to her despite her family or the fact that she was a gamine. Even though he lived in the slums of Paris, she knew he had an extremely wealthy grandfather. He had come to live in the Gorbeau house after he'd had an argument with his grandfather. Marius was the first person to ever be truly kind and friendly with Eponine, so naturally she fell for him. She even might say that she was in love with him. He was involved with a group of revolutionary students who called themselves Les Amis l'ABC. As much as she cared for him and as close as they'd gotten, he still saw her as nothing more than a friend. Eponine hoped that would change one day, but she wasn't sure if it would.

Now here she was, sitting on the front steps of her building, dangerously thin and pitiful looking, pining after a man who barely noticed her, and hoping she would make it through the day without acquiring any more bruises. Her mind wandered to Marius, picturing his handsome face. He had light brown hair and happy green eyes. Freckles were spread across his nose. He was somewhat tall and lean, and his smile made Eponine's heart flutter. She knew he would be coming home from the university soon, so she began to smooth out her skirts and run her fingers through her hair. She knew it wouldn't do any good because her skirt was tattered beyond repair and her hair was too matted to be helped without a good bath, but she did it anyway. When she saw him appear down the street walking her way, she smiled.

"Eponine!" he exclaimed as he reached her.

"Monsieur," she smiled.

He rolled his eyes, "I thought I told you not to call me that a long time ago. As I've said a million times before, call me Marius."

"Hmm, I think I like Monsieur better," she giggled.

He sighed, "Why are you sitting out on the front steps?"

"Just getting some fresh air. Still plotting to overthrow the government, Monsieur?" she asked with a coy smile.

Marius let out a loud laugh.

"Yes, I suppose. Speaking of which, the Amis are holding a meeting tonight. Won't you come with me, 'Ponine?"

Her heart leapt, and she got extremely excited about the invitation. Suddenly, she heard the booming voice of her father call her name and her heart sank. She glanced back toward the door, then back at Marius, her smile gone.

"I, um-" she stammered.

Marius looked at her with sympathy and understanding. He knew what her home life was like, and he knew that if she didn't go to her father, she'd be beaten. He definitely didn't want that.

He held up a hand to her, keeping her from having to answer, "I understand. There will be another meeting next week. Maybe you can join me then."

She gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she stood.

"I should be going," she muttered.

"Of course. Stay safe, 'Ponine," he said.

She nodded at him before stepping into the house, clenching her jaw to prepare herself for whatever comment her father was about to spew out of his mouth.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of **_**Only Been Pretending. **_**I know this chapter was all Eponine, but the next will be all Enjolras and the Amis. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoy! Feel free to leave reviews.**

**~loislane16**


	2. Chapter 2 - The Marble Man

Chapter Two

Adrian Enjolras's hand began to tire as he hunched over his desk writing page after page of notes for his next speech. He was a twenty-two year old law student adamant on changing France. Shortly after moving to Paris, he formed the group called Les Amis l'ABC with the help of his two friends, Nicolas Combeferre and Mattheiu Courfeyrac. Naturally, Enjolras became the chief or leader of the group because he was charismatic, a natural born leader, and he was an extremely eloquent speaker. Combeferre came to be the guide, and Courfeyrac was the center. The group grew quickly, and now they met on a weekly basis to discuss ways to help the lower class and poor of Paris. Enjolras knew that their cause would eventually lead to a fight, and he was prepared to die for his country.

Enjolras was a rather handsome man. He had golden blonde curly hair that sometimes fell into his face. His eyes were a brilliant blue that were able to produce a piercing glare. He was tall and slender, but also strong. He was passionate, yet his personality could be icy. Rarely did he ever show emotion that wasn't connected to his passion for his country. His face rarely cracked into a smile, and he hardly ever laughed. He remained serious and focused with a hard demeanor. Because of this and the paleness of his skin, he was often called "the marble man." Some people described his appearance as "god-like," earning him the nickname Apollo. Women of the higher classes tried to get his attention, but he simply ignored them. He claimed that his only love was for his country, and his mistress was Patria.

Enjolras lived a relatively simplistic life. He lived this way partly because he didn't want to live like he did during his childhood. He grew up in a large home north of Paris, the only child of his two extremely wealthy parents. There were servants who catered to every whim of the Enjolras family. They didn't have to do anything for themselves. Adrian learned at home where he was taught by a governess. As he got older, he started noticing things like the gamins and the starving families who lived on the streets. It didn't sit well with Enjolras when he knew that he had a home filled with food, a warm bed to sleep in, and clothes that didn't have holes. He would try to talk to his father about it, but it soon became clear that that Monsieur Enjolras thought the poor were wretched creatures who deserved what they got. He stayed in trouble as a child for helping or talking with the servants. As he got older, he learned that his political views differed greatly from his father's. They often got argued because Enjolras got tired of watching his father disregard the people in need like they were nothing more than pieces of dirt on the bottom of his shoe. Every time they'd argue, it would end in Monsieur Enjolras saying, "Son, you'd better shut your mouth before I shut it for you." His mother would've already left the room early on in the argument because it made her nervous. Once Adrian's father said, or rather screamed that comment, he would clench his jaw and turn on his heel to leave the room, spending the rest of the night in his room. One particular argument when he was sixteen years old was what ended him up in Paris. He got sick of keeping his mouth shut. They were in the sitting room where his father was seated, he was pacing, and his mother was nowhere to be found.

"Father, if you would just listen to me for once! They are people too, and they need help. If you would just-"

"No, Adrian, I will _not_ listen to you!" his father boomed.

Enjolras stopped pacing and stared at his father with piercing blue eyes.

His father continued his screaming, "I will not listen to you because whatever spews from your mouth is ridiculous garbage. I don't know where you got all these nonsensical ideas, but it sure didn't come from this household. You were rightfully raised a royalist! You were also raised to respect your elders, and I am your elder, so I suggest you do what I say and shut your mouth before I shut it for you!"

Enjolras rolled his eyes at his father's typical comment. He'd had enough.

"No," he said defiantly.

He watched as his father looked like he was about to explode, turning the brightest shade of red he'd ever seen. It didn't intimidate Enjolras, however. He stood his ground, continuing to stare at his father defiantly.

"Excuse me?" his father spat out.

"No. I will not stand by any longer when there are things to be done, people to be helped, and changed to be made. I will not stand by living my cushy little life while there are men, women, even children starving and freezing on the streets! As for me being a royalist," Enjolras let out a loud scoff, "I am far from one. You have taught me one thing, Father. You've taught me that I want to be nothing like you!" Enjolras screamed.

"Get out! No son of mine will talk of this ridiculousness and live under my roof. Pack your bags and get out of my house," Monsieur Enjolras commanded.

Enjolras turned and stormed up to his room, angrily shoving things into a bag. After a few minutes, his mother quietly entered the room and placed a hand on his shoulder. He turned to look at her.

"Adrian, I've talked some sense into your father. We've figured things out," she said quietly.

He sighed and went back to packing his bag.

"Mother, I'm not staying. I can't stay," he whispered.

"I'm not suggesting that you stay. I agree that you can't stay. You need to go someplace where you can do all the things you want to do, help make a difference."

She grabbed his arm and pulled him down to sit on the bed to stop his frenzied packing.

"Don't you remember what we talked about no too long ago? About your plans for the university?" his mother asked.

He nodded. They had decided that when he decided to go to the university in Paris, his parents would provide the money needed. Enjolras had decided to go to school to become a lawyer.

"Then we'll pack your things, and you can leave for Paris in the morning."

"No, mother. I need to leave tonight. I don't want another argument to occur in the morning," Enjolras said.

"I'll make sure you and your father won't even cross paths in the morning. Just please stay the night, Adrian. Please, for me?" he pleaded.

"Alright, Maman. I'll stay the night for you, but I'm leaving first thing in the morning."

"Thank you. Now, let me help you pack your things," his mother said before leaving the room briefly.

She returned with a trunk and an extra bag. She began to help him put his books into the trunk, and Enjolras could hear her quiet cries. He stopped packing and pulled his mother into a hug.

"What's wrong, Maman?"

"Oh, I'll just miss you, Adrian. That's all," she cried.

"We'll write. I'll keep in touch with you."

She let out a harsh laugh, "If your father will let me."

"He doesn't have to know. We'll do it secretly," he whispered.

"Alright then. We should finish your packing if you want to leave first thing tomorrow," she smiled.

He nodded, and they finished packing, filling the trunk and two bags with all his belongings. The next morning, Enjolras told his mother goodbye, loaded up his things, and climbed into a carriage headed to Paris. His parents sent him enough money for his classes, for him to have a very nice apartment, and for his personal needs to be well taken care of. Enjolras, however, so no need to live an extravagant life. He used the money his parents sent for his classes, only his basic needs, and an apartment with low rent. The apartment he found was very modest and didn't cost much. It basically had two rooms. One was a small bedroom that he furnished with a bed and an old chest of drawers for his clothes. He pushed the trunk he'd used to pack beside his bed to use as a side table, and there was a small closet in the corner of the room as well. The other room was open and consisted of a small kitchen and a large open space that was big enough for a living area. Enjolras furnished that space with a small table large enough to eat at, a sofa, two chairs, a couple of oil lamps, and a nice sized desk which was the only thing he truly splurged on. He'd also found a really cheap bookcase to put against his wall. Most of the furniture was in case he ever had company and to make it feel more like home. Not long after starting at the university, he reconnected with his childhood friend, Nicolas Combeferre. He shared his beliefs with his friend, and they agreed to start Les Amis l'ABC. His parents didn't know about his revolutionary planning, and he wanted to keep it that way. Enjolras knew that if his father found out, he'd lose all his funds. All the extra money left over after he paid his expenses, which was quite a bit considering how he lived, went toward his cause. Now, here Enjolras was six years later, finishing his speech for that night's meeting at the Café Musain. After he finished his speech, Enjolras quickly penned a letter to his mother before grabbing his favorite red coat and heading out to the meeting early.

**Author's Note: I hope you liked Enjolras's introduction. I know I said that the Amis would be in this chapter, but I thought it would be a little much if I tried to include them. I've decided to introduce them a couple at a time. You'll meet a few in the next chapter and the rest later. Thanks for reading! Review please!**

**~loislane16**


	3. Chapter 3 - A Day in the Life

Chapter Three

Enjolras stepped into the café and climbed the stairs to the second floor, surprised to see not very many people there. He was immediately flagged down by his two closest friends, Combeferre and Courfeyrac. As he walked over to them, he was greeted by an already drunk Grantaire.

"Our fearless leader has arrived. Good evening, Apollo," Grantaire slurred, taking a sip from the bottle in his hand.

Enjolras rolled his eyes, "For heaven's sake Grantaire, put that bottle down! I don't believe I've ever seen you sober."

The drunk just smirked in response and took another long sip from his drink. Enjolras joined his closest friends at a table at the back of the Musain where they had several maps spread out.

"I know I'm early, but where is everyone? Most of them are usually here by now," Enjolras inquired as he sat down at their table.

Courfeyrac shrugged, "Straggling behind, I suppose."

"Joly can't make it tonight. They needed extra hands at the infirmary and he's staying to help. Feuilly won't be here either. He has a lot of work to catch up on. Apparently, there has been a high demand for fans lately," Combeferre chimed in.

Enjolras nodded in response. Then, they turned to the maps and began discussing new plans while Grantaire drowned himself in alcohol. Slowly, the Amis arrived one by one. Enjolras glanced at the clock and saw that it was well past time for the meeting to start, so he stood. Just as he was making his way to the podium at the front of the room, the youngest of the group, Marius Pontmercy, appeared at the top of the stairs. He had been introduced by his ex-roommate, Courfeyrac. Marius had since moved out on his own. Enjolras still wasn't sure what to make of him. He wasn't positive that Marius was entirely dedicated to the cause.

"Marius, you're late," Enjolras said flatly.

Marius muttered an apology before taking a seat in the back, and Enjolras took his place at the podium to deliver his speech.

0000

After she had to turn down Marius's offer of attending the meeting, Eponine had to endure her father's ranting about how she hadn't properly swept the floor. She listened to it for a good ten minutes before she lost her cool. She rolled her eyes when she thought her father wouldn't see, but she learned that he had in fact seen when he suddenly struck her across the face. He'd left, and now she stood in the same spot, rubbing her stinging and slightly red cheek. So much for no more bruises tonight, she thought. Suddenly, two arms snaked around her waist from behind, the person pulling her tight against his chest. Her blood went cold, immediately knowing who it was.

"Good evening, my dear," the viper sneered in her ear.

"Let me go, 'Parnasse," she spat.

He turned her in his arms so that she was facing him. She glared at his evil green eyes and smirk.

"That's no way to greet me, 'Ponine."

"Go away," she growled.

He shook his head, "You know what I want."

"And you're not going to get it!" Eponine hissed, jerking out of his grip.

Montparnasse sighed, "Well, I could always find your sister. She won't argue."

Eponine froze at his statement. She and Azelma didn't exactly get along, but Eponine still protected her. It was one thing for Montparnasse to often take advantage of Eponine. She was used to his abuse, but Azelma wasn't. Their father had never used Azelma for profit like he had Eponine. The thought of her fifteen year old sister having to go through that made her want to throw up.

She narrowed her eyes at Montparnasse, "You wouldn't."

"I think you know I would."

Eponine sighed, completely defeated and weary, "Fine. I'll do as you want. Just leave 'Zelma alone."

"That's more like it, my dear," Montparnasse smiled cruelly before dragging her off.

0000

Enjolras stepped away from the podium after he finished his speech and a shout of Vive la France rang out through the Musain. He quickly made his way back over to the table he was sitting at with his friends before he spoke so that they could continue what they were doing. Time slipped away and eventually everyone said their goodbyes. The only people left in the café were Enjolras, who was still working, and Grantaire, who was passed out at the bar. Seeing that it was late, Enjolras gathered up his things and sighed when he saw Grantaire slumped over on the bar counter. He contemplated what to do with the drunk before finally deciding to attempt moving him. After a bit of effort, he was able to rouse Grantaire. He helped him stand and supported most of his weight as they both made their way to Enjolras's apartment. Enjolras thought it wasn't the best idea to leave Grantaire alone in his own home because the man couldn't even stand up straight. Once they got to the apartment, Enjolras deposited Grantaire on the sofa, placed a waste bin on the floor beside him, and retired to his room. He lay in bed unable to sleep which wasn't uncommon. However, with a house guest, he couldn't exactly spend the night working at his desk like he normally did. Instead, Enjolras thought back to that night's meeting. He knew the time to fight was coming soon. Les Amis had been planning for six years, and the time was finally here to stand up for their beliefs. They would make themselves known, and they would rise up in the name of the people. Revolution was coming, and Enjolras was ready.

0000

Eponine curled up on her thin mattress, finally letting the tears fall. She didn't know what time it was, but she knew that it was probably the middle of the night. Montparnasse had left not too long ago after getting what he wanted, but not before tossing a few coins at the foot of the pathetic mattress and reminding her yet again that she would be his. Now she was left along with all the thoughts that were plaguing her mind. Azelma creaked open the door to Eponine's room, and Eponine turned so that her sister couldn't see her tear stained face.

"'Ponine?" Azelma asked.

"Go away, 'Zelma," she grumbled.

Azelma didn't argue and shut the door quickly, leaving Eponine be. She pulled her single, thin, tattered blanked up to her chin and let more tears escape her eyes. She normally wasn't like this. She normally didn't allow herself to cry, and she never cried out of self-pity. Eponine normally pushed all emotions away. She'd learned that it was easier to live this life if she didn't allow herself to feel anything. The only exception was when she allowed herself to love Marius. Tonight, she'd reached her breaking point. She was fed up with living this life. She was tired of the bruises, the lack of food, and the dirt. She was tired of her drunken father's yelling and the judgmental glances she got when she walked the streets. She was tired of Montparnasse using her and threatening her. She was tired of it all, yet she was trapped. She couldn't leave because someone from Patron-Minette would be sent to drag her back. At one point she'd even contemplated throwing herself into the river, but she couldn't do that either. She'd promised herself to always take care of Azelma, even though Azelma didn't think she needed her sister's help. Azelma had no idea what Eponine was protecting her from. She'd seen Eponine beaten or Montparnasse dragging her off, but she'd never experienced those things so she didn't truly know the horror of it all. Eponine knew that if she wasn't there, her parents would take out all their anger on Azelma, use her for profit, and Montparnasse would use her as well. As much as the two Thènardier girls argued, Eponine didn't want that for her sister. So she basically had no way out. She desperately wished Marius would truly see her. She wanted him to take her away, to rescue her from this hell she was living. Eponine knew he was blind to her. He would never feel the same way as her. For now, she was on her own, left to fight against the cruel world by herself. She allowed herself to cry until she fell asleep because in the morning, she would push away all emotion yet again.

**Author's Note: So, there were a few Amis in this chapter, but there are more to come! I just had to include some Montparnasse in this chapter. Sorry it was a bit depressing on Eponine's part, but I don't want to sugar coat her life (which I already am somewhat). Thank you so much for reading and for reviewing if you already have. Please leave a review! I absolutely love hearing from my readers! Reading the reviews I get makes me smile like an idiot! **** Thanks once again and please review! **

**~loislane16**


	4. Chapter 4 - First Impressions

Chapter Four

It was a week after Marius had first invited Eponine to come to the Musain, and she was finally able to go. He had asked her to join him yet again the day before, and she'd said that she would go if she was able. That night, her father had come home very late and incredibly drunk. He slept past lunchtime, but finally got up and left with Madame Thènardier to scam some people. That left Eponine by herself and overjoyed that she would get to go to the meeting. She didn't have to worry about anyone telling on her because Azelma had tagged along with her parents. Eponine tried to fix her appearance before giving up and going to sit on the front steps of the house to wait on Marius. She was waiting for a while, and the later it got, the more she began to think he'd forgotten that she would be potentially joining him. Finally, he appeared in the distance walking her way.

"Marius!" she called as he got closer, a huge smile on her face.

"Sorry I'm late, 'Ponine. I got caught up at the university. I'm assuming you're able to join me tonight?"

She nodded, "No one's home, so I can come."

"Good. We should get going. I don't want to be late like I normally am," Marius said.

With that, the two made their way to the Musain.

0000

Just as they reached the door of the Musain, Eponine hesitated. She reached out and grabbed Marius's arm, keeping him from entering without her.

"Marius, wait. What if they don't like me or want me here?" she asked, looking at the ground.

"Don't be ridiculous. You'll be very welcome here, 'Ponine."

She nodded and followed Marius into the café. The bottom floor was empty, but once she followed Marius up the stairs, she saw the second floor was filled with young men; almost all appeared to be students. Eponine immediately knew she didn't fit in there. A gamine like her wasn't respectable enough to be in the company of a room full of students. She shrank back behind Marius a bit, suddenly wanting to dart from the room. Not noticing her trepidation, Marius grabbed her wrist and pulled her over to a table where someone was calling his name. The table was occupied by three young men. The first one had blonde hair and was wearing glasses. The next had darker hair and was dressed very nicely, and the last had a worried look on his face and was checking his pulse.

"You're actually early for once, Marius," the man with the glasses laughed.

Marius ignored the comment and pulled Eponine out from behind him.

"I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Eponine Thènardier," he said.

The man dressed nicely got up and bowed slightly, kissing Eponine's hand and making her blush.

"Matthieu Courfeyrac, Mademoiselle. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said with a dazzling smile.

The man with the glasses rolled his eyes, "Don't mind him. He flirts with anything in a skirt. I'm Nicolas Combeferre, and this," he said, pointing to the man checking his pulse, "is our friend, who is also a hypochondriac doctor, Joly."

"Something is wrong. My pulse isn't normal," Joly shrieked.

Courfeyrac and Combeferre rolled their eyes at him. Just then, a woman with curly, auburn hair and brilliant hazel eyes walked up to the table. She leaned down, placed a kiss on Joly's cheek, and began to rub his shoulders. At this point, he was starting to hyperventilate. It wasn't funny, but Eponine had to keep herself from laughing at his overreaction.

"Relax. You're fine, Alexandre," the woman soothed.

After he had visibly calmed down, the woman turned her attention to Eponine.

"I'm Musichetta. I run the Musain, and I seem to be the only one who can make Alexandre think sensibly once he starts to panic," she introduced, still rubbing Joly's shoulders.

"I'm Eponine. Are you two together?" she asked hesitantly.

Musichetta gave her a coy smile, "You could say that."

"Where's Enjolras? I'd like to introduce him to 'Ponine," Marius stated.

Combeferre wordlessly pointed behind him to the corner table of the Musain. Marius thanked him and started walking that way with Eponine. They passed another table occupied by four more men. Marius introduced them as Bahorel, Feuilly, Jehan Provaire, and Bossuet. Bahorel was beating Feuilly in an arm-wrestling match, Provaire was reading a poetry book, and Bossuet was cleaning up a drink that he had rather unluckily spilled on himself. Marius and Eponine reached the corner table where a blonde-haired man sat completely focused on whatever he was furiously writing.

"Enjolras," Marius said, trying to get the man's attention.

"Yes, Marius?" he asked, keeping his focus on his work.

Eponine detected a bit of exasperation in the blonde man's tone and guessed that he wasn't one of Marius's closest friends.

"I wanted to introduce you to my friend, Eponine Thènardier. Eponine, this is our leader, Enjolras."

"Nice to meet you, Mademoiselle," he said flatly, never looking up from his writing.

Eponine couldn't believe he wouldn't even look up at her. Everyone else had been so welcoming, so why was he so rude?

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Monsieur Enjolras," Eponine replied, sarcasm dripping off of her words.

Being as oblivious as he was, Marius didn't notice her tone, but Enjolras did. Her comment made him pause in his writing, but he continued after a few moments, still not bothering to look up at either of them. Marius led them both back over to the first table they had visited.

"Sorry about him. He can get a bit…fixated at times," Marius said.

Eponine didn't reply, but just sat down with him at the table. Suddenly, a dark haired man who was well on his way to becoming drunk walked up to the table, a bottle of alcohol in his hand. Eponine tried not to flinch at the smell of the liquid that turned her father into even more of a monster than he already was.

"Grantaire, meet Eponine," Marius said.

The man nodded at her with a smile, "It's a pleasure, Mademoiselle Eponine. Grant Grantaire at your service."

Eponine raised an eyebrow at him, "Grant Grantaire?"

He shrugged, "What can I say? My parents were probably drunk when they named me."

"So, the drunkenness runs in the family!" Courfeyrac laughed.

Grantaire glared at him before taking a sip of his drink and sitting down by Eponine. Everyone at the table talked, and to Eponine's surprise, she and Grantaire got along well. She hoped that they might eventually be friends. After talking for quite a while, Enjolras signaled for the meeting to begin. Everyone turned so that they were facing him at the front of the room as he began to speak. Eponine was still a bit miffed with Enjolras for being rude, so she decided to give him a taste of his own medicine. She refused to look up at him as he spoke. Instead, she picked at her fingernails and fiddled with the seam of her tattered shawl. She acted completely uninterested. However, the opposite was true. He spoke words of freedom and equality, and Eponine was very interested in what he had to say. She was very doubtful that any change would actually come. They were just a bunch of pretty words, but she couldn't help hanging on every single one of them. As interested as she might be, she didn't dare let her face show it.

0000

Enjolras did feel a bit guilty about not truly acknowledging Marius's friend when she was introduced. He had just been so focused on his work that when Marius interrupted him, he got very annoyed. He fully intended to apologize after he spoke. He hadn't even gotten a good look at her until he got up to start the meeting. He spotted her sitting in between Marius and Grantaire. She was clearly a gamine. Her body was caked with dirt, and her hair was a matted mess. Her clothes were basically rags, and her body was so frail looking that she appeared breakable. He was glad she was there because she was the type of person the Amis were fighting for. He wondered if she would give her opinion of their cause because it could help. However, when Enjolras started his speech and his gaze fell on Eponine, he frowned inwardly. She wasn't paying any attention. Instead, she was messing with her shawl and fingernails. It perturbed him quite a bit. She had come to the meeting, yet she wasn't even listening. It only frustrated him more because she was the essence of what they were fighting for, and she didn't care enough to pay attention. He tried to ignore her as he spoke. Suddenly, he realized what she was doing. She was doing the same thing he had done to her. He had essentially ignored her at first, so now she was ignoring him. Enjolras had to suppress a smirk. He had a feeling that she could be quite a force to be reckoned with if she wanted to be. He finished his speech and after a while, everyone began to leave. Enjolras noticed that Marius and Eponine were saying their goodbyes, so he decided it was probably time to apologize. When he reached them they were almost to the door. Enjolras reached out to touch the small gamine's shoulder, and she spun to face him. Marius didn't notice that she had stopped, so he continued through the door, and Eponine glanced in his direction before shooting Enjolras a cold glare.

"Mademoiselle, I am sorry if I came across as rude earlier. I was just a bit focused on my work. I hope you felt welcome here, and I hope you'll come to another meeting," Enjolras said, staring into her somewhat cold, brown eyes.

She nodded at him curtly and continued her cold stare, narrowing her eyes, "Goodbye, Monsieur Enjolras."

Then, Eponine swiftly turned and left the Musain to follow after Marius, leaving Enjolras standing there. There weren't many people who could leave him flustered, but her reaction to his apology had completely confused him. He didn't know how to react. Enjolras may have finally met his match.

0000

That night, Eponine had managed to get home before anyone else. She was very lucky because she surely would've been beaten if her father had come home to find her missing. Eponine immediately went to her room so she could avoid her family when they did come home. As she lay down on her disgusting mattress, she thought about the meeting. She really did enjoy it, and hoped she could keep attending them. As much as she wanted to deny it, Enjolras's words had truly captivated her. However, the Amis' thinking was flawed. They were a bunch of students who have never known what it is like to live in the slums. They did not really know the lived of the people they were fighting for. They think the people will rise with them in their cause yet they don't understand that the people are too afraid to stand up. Eponine knew that unless the Amis reach the people directly, connect with them, and convince them to trust, then their rebellion that they had been planning for so long would fail.

Eponine was still angry with Enjolras for being rude. It wasn't that he was rude. Lots of people were rude to her every day, so she was used to it. She was mad because he was supposed to be the leader of a group dedicated to helping people, yet he couldn't even bother with being kind to them. Everyone else at the meeting had been welcoming. She had even started to make some friends. So, why had Enjolras been the opposite? She could tell that the man was a bit prideful. She could see that from a mile away. His appearance was almost god-like, but even during his apology, he kept his emotions closely guarded and had remained extremely serious. The only difference was his striking blue eyes that seemed to have pierced her soul with their gaze. Eponine decided she would do what she could to keep attending the meetings, for more than one reason. She would keep going to spend more time with Marius, to hear more of the Amis' plans, to hopefully make some friends, and lastly, to see how much she could perturb the marble, god-like, golden-haired leader.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! So this one is a little longer, and I've introduced most of the Amis. The only one missing is little Gavroche, and I promise he's coming up soon, but I couldn't introduce him quite yet. I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and Enjolras and Eponine's meeting. I didn't really get a response from the last chapter, so I'm hoping everyone will be kind enough to review for this one! **** If anyone has any suggestions or ideas for what they might like to see in this story, just let me know. If I can't work them into this one, I might be able to work them into a new one or even write a one-shot if I get a prompt. Just let me know! I could always use new writing ideas! **** Thanks so much for reading and review pretty please! I would greatly appreciate it!**

**~loislane16**


	5. Chapter 5 - A Reunion and A Disagreement

Chapter Five

After Eponine's first visit to a meeting, she began to come off and on as she was able to. She had actually become friends with some of the Amis. She had gotten quite close to Musichetta, as she'd never really had any other girl friends other than her sister, and she'd become good friends with Grantaire. Of course, every time she attended, she did her best to irritate Enjolras. She loved seeing him perturbed whenever she refused to look at him as he spoke or when she would shoot glares in his direction. She could tell he was trying to be nicer by giving her forced smiles or trying to start conversations with her. She wanted to see him suffer for a bit longer however, so when he would smile, she would glare, or when he would ask her questions, she would respond with clipped, one-worded answers. Maybe it would teach him that if he wants to reach the people, then he should work on his first impression.

0000

Ever since his rocky first encounter with Marius's friend, Enjolras had been trying to be friendlier with her, but she was making it very difficult. She had started coming to the meetings sporadically, but Enjolras doubted that it had anything to do with his invitation. He may not be one for love, but he could recognize it when he saw it. Eponine was in love with Pontmercy. It was a hopeless love however, because Marius did not return the feeling. The man was completely blind to the young gamine. So, he figured she was only coming around to be around Marius, although she had seemed to become friends with a couple of the Amis. She had become less reserved and friendlier to everyone. Well, everyone except for him. Every time she attended a meeting, she would stare him down with cold glares. He would try to talk to her, but with the practically non-existent replies she gave, he would quickly give up. She was almost always successful in putting him in a bad mood or making him extremely frustrated by the night's end.

He was determined that she would not ruin that night's meeting because he was really looking forward to it. An honorary member of Les Amis would be coming after not attending for a while. His name was Gavroche, and he was a mere ten years old, but Enjolras really liked him. The boy was a gamin who lived with several other boys like him inside an elephant statue. He was first introduced to the group by Courfeyrac, who had made his acquaintance on the streets one day. Courfeyrac loved Gavroche greatly and was like an older brother to him. After becoming an honorary member, Gavroche began to hang out with them a lot. He really looked up to Enjolras, so he hung around him and Courfeyrac the most. No one knew why Gavroche hadn't come to a meeting in so long, but they all understood that the young gamin came and went as he pleased. Enjolras really liked having the boy around. He reminded him so much of himself when he was younger. He was so determined and passionate for a ten year old and he often times acted like an adult. Enjolras could tell that despite his young age, he had an old soul. Courfeyrac had informed Enjolras at the university earlier that day that Gavroche would be coming to the meeting. So, Enjolras sat studying in the cafe, waiting for everyone else to get there. Everyone slowly arrived and the only ones missing were Marius, Eponine, Courfeyrac, and Gavroche. Just then, Marius and Eponine arrived. Enjolras offered her a forced smile, and she of course glared in return. He just brushed it off as she went to talk with Musichetta across the cafe. A few minutes later, Courfeyrac walked into the cafe with Gavroche on his back, and Enjolras smiled a genuine smile.

Suddenly, a voice shrieked, "Gav?"

Enjolras turned to see Marius's shadow staring in shock at the little boy. Gavroche scrambled off of Courfeyrac's back and bolted towards her. She dropped to her knees and embraced him in a huge hug as soon as he reached her. They didn't seem to notice everyone watching them as she regarded him in an almost motherly manor and as they whispered animatedly to each other. Eventually, they ended their conversation, and Gavroche came over to sit by Enjolras.

"Hi, Enjolras!" he said.

"Hello, Gav. How do you know her?" he asked, gesturing to the young gamine who was now having a serious conversation with Courfeyrac.

"'Ponine? She's my sister," Gavroche smiled.

Enjolras turned to him and exclaimed, "Your sister?"

Gavroche nodded, "I haven't seen her in a long time though, a few years."

Enjolras immediately felt a little more enlightened about Eponine. Gavroche had often talked about what it was like when he lived at home and how he'd never gone back to his parents. Enjolras assumed that the reason Gavroche hadn't seen his sister in so long was because she still lived with the Thenardiers. He also saw resemblances between the two siblings, despite the fact that they looked nothing alike. Gavroche was strong, stubborn, and determined. From what little interaction he'd had with Eponine, he could tell she was the same way, especially with keeping up with her charade of ignoring him.

"What made you ask?" Gavroche questioned.

Enjolras shrugged, "She's been coming to the meetings for a while. I was just curious."

The boy nodded before going back over to Eponine who had taken her seat. The meeting continued as they always do. Enjolras spoke, Eponine ignored him, and everyone talked afterwards. But when Enjolras caught Eponine's eye and she glared at him yet again, he'd had enough. A short bit later, he noticed that she was telling everyone goodbye and hugging Gavroche. It was then that he decided to confront her. He followed behind her and stepped out of the café right after she did, ignoring the looks from his friends. Enjolras reached out and grabbed her arm, causing her to face him.

"A word, Mademoiselle?"

She sighed and pursed her lips, "I suppose."

"I'm just curious. What _is_ your problem with me?" he asked.

"Oh, where should I begin, Monsieur?" she scoffed, her voice full of sarcasm.

"First, call me Enjolras. Second, how could you possibly have that many problems with me when we've barely spoken?"

"You'd be surprised, _Monsieur_," she replied, clearly ignoring his request to be called Enjolras.

"Then, please enlighten me!"

"OK, let's see. You are the leader of a group who has pledged to help the people, yet you can't bother to be kind to me, one of the people, when we meet for the first time. Monsieur, first impressions are everything, and yours will not gain you any supporters. This revolution you speak about will fail. The people will not rise with you," she began.

"And how could you possibly know that?" he asked, his voice hinting at the anger he felt.

"Because, as I have already said I am one of the people your cause is so focused on helping. The people I know who live like me won't stand up with you. All of you rich students have your heads filled with all these pretty ideas and have not bothered to truly know the people you want to help. You cannot help them if you don't fully understand them, and I can assure you that none of you truly know what it's like to live my life. Tell me Monsieur, have you ever gone even a day with food or clean water? Myself and many like me have gone countless days without, yet we still live to spend another day in this cruel world. Have you ever slept on the street in the middle of winter with the only thing to keep you warm was your rag-like clothes, and you could hardly close your eyes for fear of your safety? I have, but I still fight to survive. Do you know what it's like to have someone take advantage of you whenever they want, then disappear, leaving a few coins in their place or have you ever come home wondering if you'll get beaten that night? So many of us experience these things on a daily basis. We are forced into prostitution or into thievery to merely feed ourselves. You have absolutely no idea what it is like to live like that. The people will not stand with you because they cannot afford to. They cannot afford to be led to their graves when they have families to care for. Things are already bad, but if the men die fighting in a hopeless revolution, then the women and children will be forced to do unspeakable things to survive. That is how I know that people will not rise, Monsieur," Eponine finished, now yelling.

"I beg to differ. When they see the future they could have, they will rise," Enjolras argued.

Eponine smirked, "You're wrong, Monsieur, but I won't argue with you any longer. Just remember what is at stake if you proceed hastily with these ideas, and remember that I warned you of what was to come if you do," she said grimly.

Then, she sped off into the shadows, leaving Enjolras to ponder her words. He went back into the café and sat down by Gavroche who was sitting sleepily at a table. Something Eponine said got to Enjolras, and he remembered how chilly it was outside.

"Gav, why don't you stay the night with me? It's getting cold out there," Enjolras offered.

He knew Courfeyrac would've offered up his home to Gavroche a long time ago if he had the room, but he simply didn't. Enjolras could tell by the look on the boy's face that he was about to refuse, so he cut him off.

"It only has to be for tonight, Gav. You don't have to stay any longer if you don't want to."

Gavroche pondered the proposition for a moment before finally nodding, "OK, Enjolras. Thank you."

He smiled at the boy, and a short time later, they left the café together.

0000

On the way back to Enjolras's apartment, Gavroche began to trudge along, obviously tired, so Enjolras picked the boy up. He was incredibly small for his age, mostly because of his street life and lack of nourishment, so carrying him was easy. He fell asleep against Enjolras's shoulder before they reached the apartment. Once inside, he laid the boy down on the bed, changed, then settled onto the couch. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Eponine's words were heavy on his mind. He wanted to keep believing that the people would rise, but now he wasn't so sure. Her words had planted a seed of doubt in his mind, a seed of doubt he didn't need. Everything she'd said about how she and so many other lived bothered him. That night he drifted into a fitful sleep, contemplating everything Eponine said.

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! How was this chapter? I know it was a bit short, but Gavroche is finally here! How did you like Enjolras and Eponine's confrontation? Please, please review and let me know! I wanted to thank anyone who gave me ideas. They are greatly appreciated and always welcome. I consider every single one of them. If you have anything you'd like to see happen in this story, leave it in a review and I'll see what I can do. Please review and the next chapter should be here soon. Thanks for reading!**

**~loislane16**


	6. Chapter 6 - The Incident

Chapter Six

Over the next few weeks, Eponine came to the meetings scarcely, but when she did, it usually ended in an argument between her and Enjolras. Eponine had become more outspoken, and sometimes they argued in front of everyone, warning them strange looks. The argument would normally end when one of them got so mad that they could no longer form words. Through all their arguments, Enjolras never let on that he still constantly thought about what she'd said to him. He never let on that her words messed with him.

What started out as Gavroche only staying the night at Enjolras's apartment turned into a week, then it turned into an indefinite time as long as Gavroche pleased. Gavroche agreed to stay under the conditions that he refused to take Enjolras's bed, and the fact that he could come and go as he wanted. Enjolras accepted his conditions, his only rule being that Gavroche had to be back by dark. The two got along well, and Enjolras enjoyed the boy's company.

0000

During that week's meeting, all of the Amis had to listen to Marius talk endlessly about this woman he saw in the market. Enjolras was so sick of hearing about this blonde haired beauty that he was incredibly tempted to tell Marius that no one cared about his lonely soul. They managed to keep him quite long enough for Enjolras to deliver his speech, but as soon as he was done, the man started his rambling again. What was her name? Colette? Enjolras didn't really care. He was getting so annoyed with his chatter that he was considering ending the meeting early. Just then, Eponine appeared at the top of the stairs. She went unnoticed by everyone except Enjolras and Marius, who darted over to her. Her features did not hold their normal stubbornness and fierceness. Enjolras couldn't place her expression at first, but then he understood. Her face was full of heartbreak. As she turned to leave, her eyes locked with Enjolras's for a moment, but she did not offer up her normal glare. Her heartbroken, sad look didn't falter. Then, she looked away and went back down the stairs with the lovesick puppy on her heels. Enjolras felt a sudden surge of sympathy for the young gamine. A short bit later, Enjolras ending the meeting. Gavroche ran up to him.

"Enjolras, I'm going to go visit my old friends in the elephant I used to live in."

"Alright, Gav. I'm going back to the apartment. Be quick about it, though. The sun will be setting soon."

"I will. I'll see you later," he smiled before running off.

Enjolras chuckled at the boy, and then headed in the direction of his apartment.

0000

Eponine was completely shattered on the inside, but she was trying so hard to hold herself together. It all started when Marius saw that girl in the market. It was already bad enough that he had "fallen in love" with someone, but then Eponine recognized her. She was the girl that lived with them in the inn, Cosette. Marius had asked for her help, and because she cared for him so, she agreed. Now she was leading him right to Cosette. It hurt her deeply, but she desperately wanted to make him happy. She was devastated and emotionally drained. Her best friend and longtime crush had found someone. Now he would never truly see her. It was the worst feeling she'd ever felt, worse than any of the beatings she'd ever received. Her heart was shattered into a million pieces. She didn't even have the energy to glare at Enjolras when she saw him in the café.

"Thank you so much, Eponine. You are such a great friend," Marius said.

It stung that he didn't call her 'Ponine like he normally did. She chose not to respond and kept leading him through the alleyways. Finally, they reached the little house where Cosette lived. Eponine pointed to an iron gate, and Marius immediately went to it while Eponine sank into the shadows. She let tears slide down her dirty cheeks as she watched the two lovebirds talk. She tried to remind herself that he was never hers to lose, but it didn't make the pain hurt any less.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps and voices that she recognized. She squinted her eyes as it was now almost dark and saw her father and his gang. She realized that they were planning to rob Cosette's house. She couldn't let them go through with it. Marius was there, and he could get hurt. She held her chin high, put on her fiercest face, and briskly walked over to them.

"Who's there?" Thènardier hissed.

"That's a shame. I thought you'd recognize your own daughter, Papa," she smirked.

"Stay out of the way, Eponine. We don't need your help," the man boomed.

"Leave this house be. Find someone else to rob. There's nothing here you'd want."

"Ignore her. Let's finish the job," one of the gang members growled.

"Get out of here, Eponine," Montparnasse said, a bit softer than the others.

There was something else in his voice. Was it concern? Eponine found that hard to believe considering he was the man who used her whenever he pleased and left bruises all over her body.

"No. I'll scream. I'll warn the people inside. It might even alert the police. I'll get every single one of you arrested," she said proudly.

Thènardier took a step toward her, "You'll regret it, you little brat."

She narrowed her eyes, "I'm not afraid of you, Father."

She gave them a short moment to back off, but when they didn't, she let out a shrill, ear-splitting scream. Suddenly, Thènardier's hand struck Eponine across the face. He grabbed her roughly by the arm, squeezing tightly, and slammed her against the brick wall of the alley. He turned to the rest of his gang while holding her in place.

"Go! Get out of here. I'll follow soon. I've got a brat to take care of first," he sneered.

They all took off. Montparnasse was the last to go, sparing her one last sympathetic glance before darting into the shadows.

"That was a huge mistake, girl."

Eponine spat in his face and that sent him over the edge. He pounded his fists into her face and abdomen, repeating the blows over and over. Eponine bit her lip to the point that she tasted blood to keep from crying out because she knew that would make it worse. He took her by the shoulders and slammed her against the wall again, her head making a sickening crack. The blow made her dizzy so she sank to the ground. She curled into a ball as his boots ruthlessly assailed her stomach and back. Thènardier finally stopped his beating and sauntered off. Eponine closed her eyes and the darkness overtook her.

0000

Gavroche was on his way to Enjolras's apartment after visiting his friends. It had just gotten dark, and he knew Enjolras would be unhappy with him for being late, so he tried to hurry. He took a shortcut down an alley and noticed someone lying in a heap. As he approached the person, he realized who she was.

"Eponine!" he shrieked.

She looked awful, completely bloodied and bruised. He shook her, but she wouldn't respond. He knew she needed immediate help. Gavroche ran as fast as his legs could carry him to Enjolras's apartment.

0000

Enjolras was sitting at his desk and was just beginning to worry about Gavroche when he burst through the door.

"Enjolras, Eponine needs help!" he said before taking off out of the apartment.

Startled, Enjolras snatched up his coat and ran at top speed after the boy. He followed him through a series of alleyways before they finally reached her. Enjolras was shocked at the state she was in. She lay crumpled on the ground with every single inch of her bloodied, battered, and bruised. He bent down and felt her pulse, learning that she was alive.

"We've got to get her back to your place," Gavroche said.

"Gav, that might not be a good idea. Your sister doesn't like me that much. Maybe we ought to take her somewhere else."

"Please, Enjolras?" the little boy pleaded, tears welling in his hazel eyes.

Enjolras now understood Gavroche's need to be close to his sister at a time like this.

He sighed, "OK, Gav. Run and find Joly or Combeferre, then meet me back at the apartment.

Gavroche nodded and darted off. Enjolras draped his red coat over Eponine in an attempt to keep her warm and lifted her delicately into his arms. She let out a cry in her unconscious state from the movement. As quickly as he could without jostling her too much, Enjolras made his way back to the apartment.

0000

Just as Enjolras laid Eponine down on his bed, he heard the door to the apartment open. He went to the main room to greet Gavroche and the help he brought. He was surprised to see Gavroche, Joly, Musichetta, Combeferre, and Grantaire all standing there.

"Where is she?" Joly asked quickly.

"In my room," Enjolras answered.

Joly immediately made his way to the bedroom, his bag in his hand and Combeferre right behind him. Combeferre wasn't a medical student like Joly, but he knew enough because of his interest in medicine that he often assisted Joly.

"Gav found us all at the café. We were worried," a surprisingly sober Grantaire explained.

Enjolras nodded before sitting along with Grantaire while Musichetta went to make tea. Gavroche, who hadn't said a word since he returned, sat down beside Enjolras and looked up at him with worried, tear-filled eyes.

"Enjolras, is 'Ponine going to be OK?"

He didn't want to get the boy's hopes up because Eponine's injuries were pretty bad, but he didn't have the heart to tell him that she might not be OK. He decided to give a vague answer.

"Your sister is in good hands, Gav."

Suddenly, Gavroche clung to Enjolras's chest, hugging him tightly. Enjolras was startled at first, but quickly responded by hugging him as well and gently rubbing his back. With the way he normally acted, Enjolras and most of the Amis sometimes forgot that he was only a ten year old little boy. He was probably scared to death for his sister. He eventually pulled away once Musichetta brought everyone tea, and Enjolras noticed that the boy's eyes were rimmed with red. Everyone sat in silence while they waited. They waited for quite a while as Joly and Combeferre worked on Eponine. Once, Combeferre emerged from the bedroom to fetch a bowl of water before disappearing again without a word. After a while, Gavroche curled up beside Enjolras on the couch and fell asleep.

"What happened?" Grantaire asked, breaking the long silence.

"I don't know. Gavroche was visiting some friends and when he came back, he was frantic, saying that Eponine needed help. Then, he took me to where she was lying unconscious and pretty beaten up in an alley," Enjolras answered.

"I know it was urgent, but why bring her here? Why not take her straight to Joly? We all know you two don't really get along," Grantaire inquired.

Enjolras sighed and glanced at Gavroche's sleeping form before looking back at his friends, "Gav begged me to bring her here. He needs to be close to his sister right now."

"Well, I'm glad you did what you did because we were still at the café. Joly wouldn't have been home had you tried to take her straight there," Musichetta chimed in.

Not long after that, Joly and Combeferre emerged from the bedroom.

"She'll be alright. She's still unconscious, but we cleaned all her cuts and scrapes. Some of her ribs are cracked, and there is a large cut on the back of her scalp as well. She needs a lot of rest and nourishment," Joly said.

"Can we see her?" Musichetta asked.

"As I said, she's unconscious, but you can see her if you want to."

Grantaire and Musichetta quickly followed Joly back into the room, but Combeferre pulled Enjolras off to the side.

"Enjolras, Joly and I found some very…interesting…bruises on her when we were working on her. There were lots of them. Some were old and some were new, but one stood out on her upper arm. If you get a chance, look at it. She probably won't let you once she's awake, but you need to see it. It concerns me. I realize that you two don't get along, but she is a part of the Amis now, and she is a friend to most of us. I just felt you should know," Combeferre said quietly.

Enjolras nodded, "Thank you, Nicolas."

Just then, the others came out of the room. Grantaire looked like he needed a strong drink. Musichetta was wiping tears from her cheeks, so Joly wrapped his arms around her comfortingly and kissed the top of her head. After that, they all left with Joly saying he would come check on her the next day, Grantaire saying he would visit soon, and Combeferre and Musichetta telling him to let them know if he needed any help with Eponine or Gavroche. Once they were gone, Enjolras went to the bedroom. He walked over to Eponine's bedside and gazed at her unconscious form. His eyes traveled down to her arm, which was no longer tucked under the blanket but exposed. The candle by the bed was just bright enough to illuminate an oddly shaped, purplish bruise on her upper arm. Suddenly, Enjolras realized what the bruise looked like. He reached down and let his hand hover over the bruise, his fingers ghosting over her skin. His hand fit almost perfectly over the shape of the bruise. It was in the shape of a handprint, or rather a man's handprint, and was curled around her upper arm. Enjolras's mouth went dry when he realized what had probably happened to Eponine. Something she'd said to him floated to the surface of his thought.

_Do you know what it's like to have someone take advantage of you whenever they want, then disappear, leaving a few coins in their place or have you ever come home wondering if you'll get beaten that night?_

Enjolras immediately knew that whoever did this to her was either a "customer" or, most likely, her father. Someone had grabbed her and wanted to make sure she couldn't get away. A bruise like that was only formed from a grip with crushing force. The thought made him shudder. After making sure she was warm enough, Enjolras quickly changed and grabbed some blankets. He left the bedroom, shutting the door behind him, and then walked over to Gavroche. He draped a blanket over the sleeping boy before making himself a pallet on the floor in front of the fireplace. After the night's events, he drifted into sleep easily.

0000

The next morning, Joly stopped by to check on Eponine. She was still unconscious, but he said that her injuries were already healing well. Around lunchtime, Gavroche was beginning to get antsy and worried because Eponine still wasn't awake. To distract him, Enjolras gave him so money and told him to pick some things up at the market and pick up some lunch as well. With Gavroche out of the apartment for a while, Enjolras sat down to work on an essay for one of his classes. He wrote tirelessly for a long while before leaning back in his chair and sighing. He needed to get up and stretch. Enjolras decided he'd go check on Eponine.

0000

Eponine awakened to sunlight pouring through a window in the room she was in. she had absolutely no idea where she was and her body was aching. She tried to move, but she was too weak and the movement hurt too much. She slowly remembered everything that had happened before she'd blacked out. Her eyes stung with tears as she recalled the horror of it all. She was taking Marius to Cosette when she noticed her father's gang. She'd stopped them from robbing Cosette's house which resulted in a ruthless beating from her father. Eponine examined the room she was in. It was much too nice for it to be in her neighborhood. A stranger must have found her and taken her in. The bed was large and soft. The blankets wrapped around her were warm. She felt secure. She wondered whose house this was. Just then, the last person she would've expected to see walked through the door. It was Enjolras.

"You're awake," he said, sounding surprised.

"You," she groaned.

"Well, hello to you too. How are you feeling?"

"Like a ray of sunshine," she bit sarcastically, "How do you think I'm feeling?"

"Joly will be here later to check your bandages again."

"Then maybe I can get out of here," she muttered, glaring at Enjolras.

"You are in no shape to be going anywhere. Is staying in my apartment that bad?" he asked, completely exasperated.

She chose not to answer his question, but ask her own question instead.

"Why am I here?"

"Well, Gavroche found you unconscious in an alley. Then, he brought me to you and begged me to bring you here."

"Why would he beg you to bring me here?" she inquired.

"He was really worried, and he wanted to be close to you while you recover."

Now Eponine was thoroughly confused.

"Wait, what? Why would he be any close to me here than he would be anywhere else?"

Enjolras sighed. Obviously, Gavroche hadn't informed Eponine that he was living with him.

"He hasn't told you, has he? He's been staying with me. He's been here the past couple of weeks."

"Gav's not living in his elephant anymore?" she asked weakly.

Enjolras shook his head and tears threatened to sting Eponine's eyes again. Her brother was safe and cared for. He was living with a man she currently wasn't fond of, but he was still safe.

"Where is he? I want to see him."

"He had some nervous energy, so I sent him to run some errands. He'll be back soon," he assured.

They sat in silence for a long while before Enjolras spoke again.

"Listen, Eponine. I don't want to continue this 'thing' between us. Can we call it a truce and start over?"

She looked at him curiously, "Why would I do that?"

"Because I've been thinking about all you've told me, and I need your help," he admitted.

"The fearless revolutionary leader is asking a low life street rat like me for help?" she teased.

"You are not a low life street rat. You are a person just like the rest of us, and yes, I'm asking for help. You were right and we'll need your help to reach the people. So, what do you say? Can we start over?"

She thought for a moment before half-smiling, "OK, we can start over."

"Good. I don't believe we've met, Mademoiselle. My name is Enjolras," he introduced, taking her hand and kissing the top of it politely.

"I'm Eponine, Monsieur," she said.

"Please, call me Enjolras."

"OK Enjolras, but only if you call me Eponine."

"Alright then. It is a pleasure to meet you Eponine," he smiled.

This time it was genuine, and she suspected that was rare for him.

**Author's note: Hello readers! I suppose I should call this an AU fanfic because of several details. I know the attack on the Rue Plumet takes place a lot earlier in this story than the original, but I had to do it that way because of future plot points. Also, some things in the future will be AU. **

**OK, so I kind of know where I want to take this and I have some things planned, but I don't want to continue if no one is interested. Please let me know if you think I should continue with this story.**

**Thank you, as always, for reading.**

**~loislane16**


	7. Chapter 7 - Starting Over

Chapter Seven

Not too long after Enjolras and Eponine agreed to start over, they heard the door open.

"Enjolras?" Gavroche called.

"Come in the bedroom, Gav. Someone's awake," Enjolras called back, smiling.

They heard a small gasp come from the living area, and then the boy was almost instantly in the bedroom with them. He threw himself at Eponine, hugging her tightly. She let out a hiss of pain from the squeeze, and Gavroche jumped back.

"I'm so sorry, 'Ponine! I didn't want to hurt you!"

She let out a small chuckle, "It's OK, Gav. You didn't mean to and it didn't hurt that bad anyway."

"I'll let you two have some time together," Enjolras said before leaving the bedroom and shutting the door behind him.

Gavroche moved to sit on the bed beside his sister. His face got incredibly serious, and he gripped her hand.

"Please tell me who did this to you, 'Ponine. Was it 'Parnasse? I'll kill him myself!"

Eponine let out a dry laugh at her ten year old brother's enthusiasm. He couldn't take down Montparnasse even if he tried his hardest.

"No, it wasn't him, Gav. Don't worry about it. I'm fine. That's all that matters."

"It was Papa, wasn't it? Please tell me he didn't do this to you, 'Ponine. I know it was him. Please tell me the truth," Gavroche begged.

"Gav, it's OK," she soothed.

He raised his voice a bit, "No, it's not OK! Was it Papa? Did he do this to you?"

Eponine let out a long sigh, "Yes, it was him. It was Papa."

Tears welled in the little boy's eyes and when he spoke, his voice was shaky, "He'll pay for this 'Ponine. He won't get away with it. I'll make him pay."

"You will do no such thing! I don't want you going anywhere near that man, Gav. You're safe from him now, alright? Stay out of his way. I can deal with this myself," she said sternly.

Gavroche nodded in agreement.

"But, why did he hurt you like this?"

"I stopped him from robbing a house. He wasn't too happy about it," she smiled.

Her brother's eyes lit up, "What did you do?"

"Well, I saw his gang, and I knew he was going to rob a house, so I walked right up to them and told them to go away. Of course, they didn't listen at first, and Papa tried threatening me, but I told him that I wasn't afraid of him and that I would scream. They didn't listen so I screamed and spat in Papa's face."

"And that's how you ended up like this?" Gavroche finished the story for her.

"Exactly. Now, when exactly were you going to tell me that you've been staying with Monsieur Enjolras?" Eponine questioned.

"Oh, I guess I just forgot to mention it," he shrugged.

"Well, I'm just glad you're safe. It's pretty clear that you're loved very much among the Amis."

Gavroche smiled and hopped down off the bed, "Would you like some lunch, 'Ponine? I bought extra in case you woke up."

"That would be very nice, Gav."

Then the little boy bounded off, a smile on his face.

0000

Enjolras quickly made his way away from the door and into the kitchen when he heard Gavroche getting ready to leave the room. He had been listening to their conversation. He was completely repulsed at the thought of a father treating their own child like that. He should have known what Monsieur Thènardier was capable of just by hearing Gavroche's stories, but the thought of him actually beating his own daughter within an inch of her life left him enraged. He also wanted to know who this Montparnasse was. Could he be the man who Eponine was referencing when she talked about someone taking advantage of her? Enjolras had a lot of questions that he wanted answers to, but he knew he'd find out in time. They'd just agreed to start over, and the last thing he wanted was to make her upset with him again. He really needed her help, and somehow he knew that asking a bunch of questions would only push her away again. He could tell she was a very guarded person. Gavroche ran over to where he was putting the lunch the boy had brought home onto plates.

"Could you fix a plate for Eponine too, Enjolras? I made sure to get enough for all of us, just in case."

"Of course," he responded before handing the boy a plate.

He took off back to the bedroom with the plate in hand.

0000

A bit later in the afternoon, Gavroche was getting antsy again, so Enjolras suggested that he go find some of the Amis to visit Eponine since she was awake. Enjolras took the opportunity to speak with Eponine. He knocked lightly on the door before going in and sitting on the end of the bed, keeping his distance so neither of them was uncomfortable.

"I heard your conversation with Gavroche earlier," he admitted.

She stared at him with a fierceness in her eyes, "That was none of your business!"

"I know. I'm sorry, but your father truly did this to you, Eponine?"

She broke her stare with his icy blue eyes and looked out the window, refusing to answer him.

"I could report him to the authorities. He would get justice for what he's done," Enjolras said.

Eponine let out a harsh laugh, still refusing to look at him because she knew that if she did, she might fall apart, and she would not let him see her like that.

"I'd like to see you try. My father has evaded the authorities for years. He never pays for anything he does."

Enjolras didn't want to argue so he asked another question instead.

"Who is Montparnasse?" he asked quietly.

"No one," she muttered.

"Eponine-"

"Just leave it alone, Enjolras."

"OK, I won't ask anyone," he sighed.

He got up to leave, but Eponine spoke.

"You should know some things if I'm going to help you. First, I don't do well when people try to pry into my life. If I want you to know something about me, then I'll tell you, but I don't like a lot of questions. Second, if you want my help, you'll have to do what I tell you with no arguments. Regarding the streets and the lives of people like me, I have more knowledge than you, so it would be smart to listen to me. Lastly, I won't be available whenever you want me to be. For the sake of my and/or my sister's safety, I won't be able to attend every meeting. Also, I most likely won't be able to let you know ahead of time if I will or won't be attending. I have to live my life moment by moment, so I never know what will happen next. Got it?"

He nodded, "I understand."

Then, he left her alone.

0000

A short bit later, Gavroche returned with most of the Amis including Joly, Musichetta, Grantaire, Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Jehan, Feuilly, Bahorel, and Bossuet. If fact, the only one missing was Marius. When the front door to the apartment opened and all of them filed, Enjolras looked at Gavroche in bewilderment. There clearly wasn't enough room for all of them. Grantaire was quick to give an explanation.

"We're not all staying very long. We were all at the café and when we heard that 'Ponine was awake, we all wanted to come say hello."

Eponine heard the voice of one of her closest friends, and she called out from the bedroom, "Grant?"

Grantaire smiled and quickly made his way to her.

"'Ponine, you look like you could use a drink," he smiled once he was in the bedroom.

She rolled her eyes and groaned, "Oh, you have no idea."

"Do you care to tell me what happened?"

"Not particularly. Maybe later when I'm out of here, and we can do it over drinks," she smiled.

"That sounds like a plan to me. Now, I better go get Joly. He's been very anxious to check your bandages again," Grantaire said.

She smiled and nodded. Grantaire stepped back into the main room and let Joly go tend to her. Everyone began talking as they waited. A few minutes later, the door to the bedroom re-opened, and Joly walked out with Eponine by his side. His arm was around her waist, one of her arms was around his neck, and they were walking very slowly as each step greatly pained her. All of her friends looked on with surprise.

As they continued walking, Joly spoke up, "Her injuries are still healing and she still needs rest, but I saw no reason why she couldn't be out here with her friends with a little help."

They finally made it over to the couch, and Eponine eased down onto it. She smiled brightly once the pain subsided, and she realized she'd made the short yet strenuous walk. A few of the Amis wished her well before leaving to make more room in the apartment. Combeferre, Courfeyrac, Grantaire, Joly, and Musichetta stayed with them. They all stayed for a while talking, and Eponine greatly enjoyed their company. She was so close to Musichetta and Grantaire, but she was even becoming closer to Courfeyrac because of Gavroche. She had decided that she was glad to help Enjolras because seeing all her friends die would be too painful. Eventually, she got tired and needed to go back to bed. Everyone told her goodbye, and Joly helped her back to the bedroom before they left. It was late and the apartment was silent as the three settled in. Suddenly, Eponine heard some murmuring in the living area and then her door creaked open.

"'Ponine?" Gavroche whispered.

"Yes, Gav?"

"Could I sleep in here with you?" he asked timidly.

"Of course," Eponine smiled.

She scooted over in the large bed, and Gavroche snuggled into her side.

"I know we haven't seen each other for a while until recently, but you're the best big sister I could ever ask for. You always protected me and made sure I was OK."

She let out a chuckle, "You're the best little brother. I've missed you so much since you left."

"I've missed you too. How 'Zelma?" the boy inquired.

"We don't really get along anymore, but she's OK. I protect her like I protected you, even though she thinks she doesn't need protection from Papa and 'Parnasse. Azelma has no idea what they're capable of, Gav. Well, I suppose you don't really know either. They've gotten a lot worse since you left," she sighed.

"'Ponine, why don't you get out of there? You could do it, you know. I did. I don't want you to get hurt anymore."

"Gav, I can't. What would become of Azelma if I left? She won't come with me. She's too loyal to Papa."

"It just worries me," Gavroche groaned.

"I'll be fine. You don't need to worry about me," she whispered.

He snuggled closer to her, and she wrapped an arm around him. After a long moment of silence, he let out a content sigh and looked up at her.

"You know something, 'Ponine? I have the best big sister _and_ the two best big brothers."

"Oh? And who's that?"

"Courfeyrac and Enjolras."

She smiled at him, "Yes, you do have the two best big brothers."

Then, she hugged him close, and they both drifted off to sleep.

0000

Over the next few days, Eponine was stuck in Enjolras's apartment, slowly healing. She was able to move around some as she was healing quicker than she expected to. Eponine and Enjolras's personalities still clashed some and they argued occasionally. She was really enjoying spending time with Gavroche, but she was sick of staying in the apartment, and she knew she needed to get back home.

One afternoon, Enjolras was at the university and Gavroche was visiting his friends at the elephant statue, so Eponine decided it was the perfect time to get out of there. She took one of Enjolras's coats off the hook by the door, slipped it on, and left the apartment. On her way back to the Gorbeau House, Eponine did some pickpocketing to make up for being absent for a few days. She stepped into her family's apartment to be greeted by her mother and slightly drunk father.

"Where have you been, you little brat?" her mother sneered.

She glared at her parents, "Out."

Then, she walked over and dumped the items she pickpocketed on the table in front of her father. He stared at her, and she wordlessly went to her room. She shed Enjolras's coat and sank down onto her mattress. Azelma appeared shortly after.

"'Ponine! Where'd you disappear to?" she asked.

"Nowhere in particular. I ruined one of Papa's raids, and he wasn't very happy about that. I've been staying clear of him long enough for these bruises to heal before I get new ones," she smirked.

Eponine chose not to disclose information about Enjolras or the Amis. She didn't feel like she could fully trust her sister.

"Well, Montparnasse has been looking for you," Azelma said.

Eponine rolled her eyes, "I'm sure he has."

Azelma huffed and put her hands on her hips, "You know, Eponine, everything would be so much easier for you if you would just do what Papa says."

"Don't give me that speech, Azelma! I will never do what Papa says. Can't you see that what he does is wrong? I might participate in some of it, but that is because I can't escape it! If I weren't here, your life would be just like mine, Azelma, no matter how much you obeyed Papa. I am simply the one he takes it out on. My life will never be easy. At least as long as I'm living here," Eponine said firmly.

Azelma just rolled her eyes and huffed again, storming out of the room. Eponine used her pathetic pillow to stifle a frustrated groan. Gavroche was right. She needed to get out of there. She realized that the revolution the Amis had been planning was going to be her ticket out. Whether it is a ticket to a better life and future or a ticket straight to the heavens above, Eponine didn't really care.

**Author's Note: First of all, I wanted to thank everyone for all the support I've gotten. Thank you so much for following or reviewing! That was so encouraging! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you think!**

**~loislane16**


	8. Chapter 8 - Help and a Betrayal

Chapter Eight

Enjolras returned home from his classes, finding Gavroche to be absent and the apartment very quiet. He figured that Eponine was probably sleeping, but was shocked to find the bedroom door open and Eponine nowhere in sight. Then, he realized that his coat was missing from the hook by the door, and he let out a loud sigh. She'd just up and left. He wondered if she would show up at the Musain in a few hours or if her agreement to help was really even true. He supposed he'd find out soon enough.

Enjolras stepped into the café a few hours later and found everyone there, including Gavroche and Eponine. He spotted her sitting at a table with Grantaire, Musichetta, Joly, and Marius. Enjolras briskly made his way over to her.

0000

Eponine was laughing at one of Grantaire's jokes when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"May I speak with you?" the person asked.

Recognizing the voice as Enjolras's, she stood and excused herself. She followed him to the bottom level of the Musain.

"Where did you disappear to?" he asked.

"I went back to my parents' place. I'm well enough. Here," she said as she held out his jacket that had been tucked over her arm.

He immediately pushed it back toward her, "You keep it."

That earned him a massive glare.

"I don't need your charity," she growled, shoving the coat at him again.

He just shook his head and took it from her.

"Were you serious about helping us?" he asked.

"Of course."

"Then we should start tonight."

She nodded and followed him back up the stairs. Enjolras got everyone's attention and headed to the front of the room.

"During a recent conversation between Eponine and I, she brought some important issues concerning our revolution to my attention. I've also asked for her help in reaching the people. Eponine, could you please share with the Amis what you told me?" he asked.

He sat in a nearby chair, allowing Eponine to come to the front of the room.

She cleared her throat nervously and began, "Well, I basically told Enjolras that if you were to proceed with the revolution now, it would fail."

"Why's that?" Courfeyrac interrupted.

She thought for a moment before continuing, "Tell me, messieurs, how many days and nights have you gone without food or water? I am not talking about any time you _chose_ to go without. If I could guess, I would probably say not even one. Have you ever lacked a roof over your head or a fire in your fireplace? Do your clothes have holes and rips or are they two sizes too small? When you lived with your parents, did you worry that when you were to return home, you would get beaten? Are you mothers or sisters forced to sell themselves to provide for your family? When you walk the streets, are disgusted glances thrown your way or are you unwelcome in most of the shops? I highly doubt any of you have experienced these things, but I can assure you that I _have_ experienced most of these things. I'm sure most of you already know that Gavroche is my brother, and you've heard his stories about our family. Gav was lucky enough to escape that life, and he is much safer now. Our sister and I still live at home. We go days without food and water. As you can see, my clothes are tattered, torn, and thin. I never know when I go home if our father will be drunk and beat me senseless. Sometimes he kicks me out, and I am forced to sleep in a dark, wet alley. My father lets his gang use me and beat me as they wish for only a small price. The Musain is one of the few places Gavroche and I are welcome and the Amis are some of the very few people who have befriended us."

She paused to let everything she'd just divulged sink in. She looked around the room at all their faces. They were solemn and some held pity. Eponine wanted to clear that up immediately.

"I did not tell you all of that so that you could pity me. I don't want pity. I told you this because I wanted to open your eyes. I am not the only one who lives like that. We all fight to survive every day. I said that the revolution will fail because I do not believe that the people will rise. People like me don't trust easily. We also cannot afford to risk our lives fighting a fight that so many doubts will actually change anything. Sure, most of us dream of the same future you are fighting to achieve, but it is very hard to believe that it will ever be a reality. If the men agree to fight and are killed, they will leave behind families who will need to be cared for. If the breadwinner is gone, the rest of the family is forced to do whatever necessary to survive. The women and girls will be forced to sell themselves. The women and children will be forced to steal or pickpocket just to buy some bread. You will never reach the people if you continue to just hold meetings here or do nothing more than plan rallies in the street."

"So how do we reach them?" Combeferre inquired.

"Well, I would suggest getting to know the people personally. Take to the streets and really see the conditions they live in. Show them they can trust you. Gavroche and I can help. If they can see that we trust you, it will be more likely that they will trust you too. It will be a difficult task, but if this revolution has any chance of succeeding, you'll need to gain the people's trust," Eponine said.

She walked away from the front of the room, and everyone began discussing what she'd said. Then, she made her way over to Enjolras.

"Did that help?"

"Yes, that was great!" he smiled.

"I've got to get back home. I'll try to come to the next meeting, but as I said, I never know if I will be able to or not."

He nodded, "Thank you."

She gave him a small smile, and suddenly, Gavroche ran up to them.

"'Ponine!"

Eponine knelt down to give him a hug, "Hey, Gav."

"Are you coming back to the apartment with me and Enjolras?" he asked.

"No, I have to go home, but you were right. I'm going to try to get out of there soon. Azelma's never going to change, and she's old enough to take care of herself. I can't put up with it for much longer."

Gavroche gave his sister a sad smile, "Good."

She stood, gave Enjolras one last glance, and told the rest of the Amis goodbye before leaving. When she got home, she rolled her eyes at the sight she saw. Montparnasse stood, obviously drunk, blocking the door to her room.

"There you are, my dear," he slurred.

"Get out of the way, 'Parnasse."

He reached out to grab her, but she was quicker. She slammed her fist into his nose, disorienting him long enough so that she could shove him aside and enter her room. She quickly locked the door, but there wasn't anything she could use to barricade it. As Montparnasse started pounding on the door, Eponine sat on her mattress, knowing it was only a matter of time before he burst through.

0000

Over the next few weeks, Eponine did her best to come to the meetings and to hide her new bruises. She took the Amis out into the worst of the slums, allowing them to actually talk with the people they were fighting for. Word quickly spread and as they held more rallies, more people attended. She found that helping the Amis reach the people also helped distract her from Marius. She focused more on helping Enjolras decided which move to make next rather than focusing on Marius's incessant talk of Cosette.

She also found that her relationship with Enjolras was improving. She still didn't consider them friends, but working so closely with him, they at least became acquaintances. Of course, she got closer to all the Amis, her relationships with Grantaire and Musichetta only getting even stronger. She truly hoped that the people would rise because she couldn't bear to lose them.

One night, they all sat in the café working. Eponine sat at a table with Enjolras and Combeferre trying to decide which part of the city they should hold their next rally. Suddenly, Courfeyrac walked in and shouted for everyone to listen. Then, he lifted Gavroche onto one of the tables so the entire top floor of the Musain could see him.

"General Lamarque is dead," the boy said.

Enjolras immediately stood up, "This is our sign, Amis. The only man who stood for the people is gone. We must take his place. On the day of Lamarque's funeral, we will rise!"

A cry of "Vive la France" rang out through the café and everyone began to plan. A little while later, she found Enjolras at a table by himself.

"I hope you know I plan to fight with all of you," she said.

"I appreciate it, but if you choose not to, then I will understand."

"No, I'll find a way to be there."

She was determined to fight because she knew it would be her ticket out.

"Well, thank you. Do you think we've done enough? Do you think the people will rise?" he asked.

"I believe we've done all that we could do. I couldn't tell you if they will rise or not. We'll never know until the time comes," she replied before joining Grantaire at the bar for some drinks.

0000

The day of Lamarque's funeral had finally arrived, and Eponine was pacing nervously in her room.

"What are you doing?" Azelma asked as she walked into the room.

"I'm leaving, 'Zelma."

"You're what?"

"I can't take it anymore. I'm sick of Papa, Mama, Montparnasse, and the gang. I'm sick of the schemes and the abuse. I'm leaving, and I'm going to make a better life for myself. You could come with me, 'Zelma. You could get out of here too," Eponine said softly.

Azelma stared at Eponine like she'd lost her mind.

"I'm not leaving Papa!"

Eponine sighed sadly, "Alright. Well, I guess this is goodbye."

She moved to give her sister a hug, but Azelma quickly stepped back, glared at Eponine, and darted from the room. Eponine tried not to let Azelma's reaction get to her and glanced around the room one last time. She had decided not to take any of her belongings with her. There was nothing worth keeping anyway. She needed to leave if she wanted to get to the funeral on time. She was almost to the front door when a strong hand grabbed her arm.

"Where do you think you're going?" her father snarled.

"I'm going on a walk."

Thènardier suddenly slapped her across the face.

"Don't lie to me! Azelma told me you were trying to make a run for it. Now, get up to your room and don't even think about trying to leave again!" he yelled, shoving her back to her room.

Eponine's heart sank. She couldn't believe Azelma did that to her out. The only way out of the apartment was the front door, so she'd never be able to get to the barricades. Her ticket out had been brutally snatched away. She felt so guilty because she'd told all her friends she'd be there to fight with them. Now, here she was, locked in her bedroom, unable to make it to the barricades.


	9. Chapter 9 - Aftermath and Mourning

Chapter Nine

Eponine awakened early the next morning after getting virtually no rest. After being locked in her room, she listened to the sounds of gunfire and soldiers marching all through the day. The sounds continued into the night, and Eponine worried for her friends. She worried that the people would not rise. Most of all, she worried about Gavroche. She knew he would find a way to fight with his two "big brothers." When she got up, she picked the lock on her door and found the apartment completely empty. She knew this was her chance, so she darted out the door and down the street, never looking back. She had to find out what happened because there hadn't been any gunfire for several hours.

Finally, Eponine saw the wreckage of the barricade and knew her worst fears were confirmed. It was pretty obvious that the people had not joined the Amis. She swallowed down tears as she journeyed deeper in and saw the bodies of Feuilly and Jehan. However, what she saw next nearly made her heart stop. She saw Courfeyrac's body on the cobblestones and not too far away was where her brother lay dead. She rushed forward and fell to her knees beside him, sobbing uncontrollably. Eponine lifted him slightly off the ground, clutching him to her chest and mumbling that she was sorry. She pressed a kiss to his forehead and laid him back down, still crying. She couldn't bear to leave his side, so she sat there with him, mourning. To Eponine, it seemed like she'd been staring at her brother's lifeless body for hours when someone called her name.

"'Ponine?"

In the back of her mind, she recognized the voice, but she didn't acknowledge them even as she heard their footsteps getting closer. Then, a hand was on her shoulder and gently turning her around. She looked up into the concerned eyes of one of her best friends kneeling beside her.

"Grant," she sobbed.

He pulled her into his arms, and she buried her face in the curve of his neck as she continued to cry. Now she wasn't sure if she was crying because Grantaire was alive or if she was still mourning for Gavroche. Eventually, she pulled away and looked up at him.

"Grant, is everyone…?"

"No, there are a few of us alive, but we're still searching for survivors. Come with me," he said.

He helped her stand and led her into the Musain. The bottom level was set up like a make-shift infirmary. The injured and dead were all around the room. First, she spotted Combeferre sitting in a chair, obviously injured. Then, she saw Joly working on someone and Musichetta helping.

"'Ferre, Joly, 'Chetta!" she exclaimed.

Musichetta rushed over to her and hugged her tightly.

"'Ponine, we were so worried! Are you OK?" she asked.

"I wasn't able to get here, 'Chetta. I told my sister I was leaving because I wanted her to come with me, but she refused and told our father. He stopped me and locked me in my room. Once everyone left, I picked the lock and came here. I've already seen some of the damage. It's terrible. I'm just glad you four are OK, but I also wish I could've been here to fight with you."

"No," Grantaire said, "I'm glad you couldn't come. No matter how brutal your father is, you were safer there. I don't know what I would've done if both of my favorite Thènardiers had been killed."

Eponine smiled at him through teary eyes.

"How did you make it out?" she asked.

Joly finished his work and turned to her, "Well, Grantaire managed to pass out behind the bar after the first fight. I was in here working on the injured and when the soldiers stormed the café, I hid. I sent Musichetta away before the fighting started, and she returned after it was over, like you did. After Grantaire woke up, he found Combeferre injured outside."

Eponine took a deep breath and swallowed back more tears, "What can I do to help?"

There was silence for a moment before Combeferre spoke up, "You could go check for survivors. We haven't looked much yet."

"OK, I can do that."

"When I was hiding, I'm pretty sure I heard shots come from upstairs. You might want to check there," Joly suggested.

Eponine nodded and went toward the stairs while Grantaire went back outside. On the way, she encountered Bossuet's body crumpled on the stairs. She checked his pulse, but already knew that he was gone. That was when she heard the groan. Eponine climbed the rest of the stairs and saw Enjolras slumped against the wall with several bullet wounds that were staining his clothes red. A feeling of anger welled up inside of her. Even though she knew it wasn't entirely his fault, Eponine blamed him for the deaths of the Amis and especially the death of her brother. This whole rebellion was _his_ idea. He was the one who determined that Lamarque's death was the right time to start the revolution. If they had just waited a little longer, then maybe, just maybe the people would've come to help. At least that's what Eponine wanted to believe. At the moment, Eponine loathed Enjolras. She wanted to just leave him there. He deserved to die. She could turn around and leave him there to slowly bleed out. In fact, she was taking a step back toward the stairs when something suddenly stopped her. Gavroche stopped her. She thought about her brother and how much he loved Enjolras. He even considered him a brother. If Gav wasn't following around Courfeyrac, he was being Enjolras's shadow. The ten-year-old looked up to the revolutionary so much. He would want his honorary big brother to live. Eponine knew she had to save Enjolras, if only to honor Gavroche. He would want her to. She quickly walked over and observed the revolutionary leader. His eyes were closed, and he was disheveled, his clothes soaked with blood. She pressed her fingers to his neck and felt his pulse dance lightly beneath them. She immediately sped down the stairs, carefully avoiding Bossuet's body.

"Joly, come quick!" she yelled.

She reached the bottom floor and found Joly heading her way.

"What is it?" he asked.

"It's Enjolras. He's upstairs and alive, but barely."

"Grantaire, come help!" Joly called.

In a matter of seconds, the two men were up the stairs. Eponine looked across the café and saw Gavroche's body lying on a table. Fresh tears formed in her eyes, and she walked over to him.

"Grantaire brought him inside," Musichetta said.

Eponine didn't respond. She just sat down in a chair beside him and pushed the hair out of his face. Once again, time seemed to stop around her as she sat there with her brother, grasping his hand. Suddenly, she felt someone's presence beside her, and she looked up at Grantaire through blurry eyes.

"I'm so sorry, 'Ponine," he whispered.

She let out a ragged breath and shook her head, "He had to grow up so fast. He loved you guys so much."

"We should've sent him away. He shouldn't have been here," Grantaire said.

"Grant, you know none of you would've been able to keep him away, not even Courfeyrac or Enjolras. He wanted to fight and nothing would've stopped him."

They sat there in silence for a moment before Eponine decided to change the subject. She looked around Grantaire to see Joly working on Enjolras.

"How's Enjolras?" she asked.

"We're not sure yet. He's got several bullet wounds."

She stood and walked with Grantaire over to where Combeferre was sitting. Musichetta was helping Joly.

"I've searched everywhere. We're the only ones left," Grantaire said.

"What about Marius?" Eponine asked quietly.

Combeferre looked at her sympathetically. Everyone knew about Eponine's unrequited love, even Enjolras. The only person who didn't know was, of course, Marius.

"He's completely unaccounted for. It's like he's gone missing," he said.

Eponine nodded solemnly, fighting back more tears. Her heart was even more shattered. She'd lost her brother, and she'd lost Marius. She felt like curling into a ball and crying for days. At least she still had some of her friends. Just then, Musichetta walked up.

"Alexandre is almost finished with Enjolras, but he needs to move him somewhere more permanent."

"Well, Enjolras's apartment is the closest, and I know where he keeps his spare key," Combeferre spoke up.

"OK, I'll go tell Joly," Musichetta responded.

Not ten minutes later, they were all headed in the direction of the apartment. It took both Joly and Grantaire to carry an unconscious Enjolras in a way that wouldn't make his injuries worse. Musichetta carried Joly's medical things and Eponine helped Combeferre as he hobbled along. As they reached the apartment, Combeferre told Musichetta where to find the key, and she opened the door. Once Enjolras was placed on his bed and Combeferre was deposited on the couch, Grantaire quickly left, saying he'd be back in a while. Everyone sat around conversing little. They probably should've been discussing what to do next, but they were all still in a state of shock. A few hours passed, and Eponine was ready to leave. She didn't want to spend anymore unnecessary time in Enjolras's apartment. She'd done her part for Gavroche and had gotten help for the man, but now she just wanted to be on her way. Just as she was about to leave, Grantaire walked through the door. After he acknowledged everyone, he turned to Eponine.

"Could you come with me for a bit?" he asked.

She nodded and took his arm as they walked out the door and down the street.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see."

They walked for what seemed like forever and the landscape changed from buildings to fields. Finally, they turned down a dirt pathway, and Eponine saw a couple of trees in the distance. As they arrived at the trees, she noticed that the dirt in front of the middle tree had been recently upturned. Grantaire spoke before Eponine could ask any questions.

"This is some of my family's land. I knew you didn't have the money to give Gav a proper burial, so I figured this might be a good place. I've taken care of everything, and you are free to come here any time you wish," he explained.

Eponine gazed with tear-filled eyes at the spot where her brother was now buried, then up at her best friend. She hugged him tightly and let out a sob.

"Thank you so much, Grant."

They stood in silence for a moment before Grantaire spoke again.

"I figured that if any of the Amis bodies aren't claimed, then we could bury them here too."

"I think that's a wonderful idea," Eponine smiled.

"You're on your own now, aren't you?"

She nodded, "I'm not going back home."

"I won't be able to convince you to come stay with me, will I?" he asked.

"No, I'll be fine, Grant. I need to do this. I'm going to make a better life for myself."

"Just…promise me you won't do anything drastic, 'Ponine. If things get bad or if you just need someone, please promise me you'll come and find me," he pleaded.

Grantaire was one of the few people who knew everything about Eponine's life, including the fact that she'd thought about throwing herself into the Seine. He was always worried about her.

"I'm not going to do anything drastic, Grant. I promise to come find you or one of the other Amis if things get bad."

"Alright, well stay around. I don't want to lose you too."

"I will, Grant," Eponine smiled.

With that, they walked back into town and told each other goodbye. Then, the two parted ways, Grantaire heading back to the Amis, and Eponine heading to try to start over.

**Author's Note: I apologize for the delay! I've been on vacation, and I'm finally back. I also apologize if this chapter was kind of depressing, but it was necessary. I know Grantaire seems a bit OCC, but I feel like he would be a great friend for Eponine. I wanted to thank anyone who has favorited or followed this story. It means a lot! Please drop me a review and let me know what you think so far. I might be asking for some help very soon, so keep an eye out. Thanks for reading!**

**~loislane16**


	10. Chapter 10 - We Meet Again

Chapter Ten

Weeks passed and Eponine found that starting over wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. She had absolutely no money and had resorted to begging. She hated pickpocketing because of her father, but sometimes she had no choice if she wanted to survive. She couldn't get a job because of her appearance and last name. Everyone turned her away. She rarely ever got to eat and even though it seemed impossible, she got even frailer. Her bones protruded from her skin in a way that made her look like a walking skeleton. She had no home, causing her to sleep under the stars. Eponine hadn't seen her father since she left, but she'd run into Montparnasse a couple of times. He had never tried anything, but she was good about making herself scarce just in case.

Even after all the time that had passed, the pain of losing her brother still hadn't gotten any better. She was still mourning, and her heart felt shattered. Eponine visited his grave frequently, but she only left feeling more broken than before. Gavroche's grave was the only time she ever really saw Grantaire. Even though Eponine was a strong, independent young woman, she was embarrassed about how much her life had disintegrated when she had resolved to make a better life for herself. She stopped visiting with the remaining Amis because she didn't want them to see how bad she was doing. Grantaire had picked up on what days she would visit Gavroche's grave, so he made a point to see her then.

Now she was walking down the streets of Paris, trying to find a safe place to sleep. It was pitch black outside, and the only light was coming from lanterns hanging outside of buildings. Rain was starting to fall, so Eponine ducked her head and walked quicker. She didn't even notice the other person walking her direction until she crashed into them. She threw a glance in the man's direction and kept walking.

"My apologies, Monsieur," she said quickly.

"Eponine?" the man asked.

Eponine froze. She immediately recognized that voice, and she spun on her heel to face the last person she wanted to see, Enjolras.

"You," she muttered.

"Are you alright?"

"Am I alright? Are you really asking me that? Gavroche is gone. Marius has disappeared. I have no family. Look at me! Do I look alright to you?"

Now, she had quickly made her way right back up to Enjolras, where he stood shocked by her outburst. Hot tears stung in her eyes.

"This is all your fault! Your little revolution was supposed to change things, but _nothing_ has changed. I left my entire family and life behind to get to that barricade, but all I found when I got there was the body of my brother and the bodies of our friends. It's your fault Gav is dead! He was only ten, and now he's gone! I am trying to start over, to do better in life, but because the rebellion was _pointless_, I'm not accepted _anywhere._ No one will hire me. I have no money, no food, and no home. I am slowly deteriorating because I can't take the grief of losing Gav. I should have left you to die in that café!" she screamed.

"Eponine, I'm sorry-"

She cut him short with a sharp slap to the cheek. Then, realization of what she'd done hit her. The life she'd lived before she left home had taught her that if she struck a man, she would get a hit in return. Her eyes grew wide, and her lip began to tremble. She cowered back as she quickly threw her arms up to protect her face, her eyes squeezed shut. Eponine waited for his blow, but it never came. The only thing she felt were his hands gently grasping her wrists and pulling her arms away from her face. When she finally dared to open her eyes, she saw him looking at her with an expression that was mixed with shock, concern, and pity.

"I would _never_ lay a hand on you, Eponine," Enjolras said slowly.

With that, the last brick of her resolve cracked. It entirely crumbled, both inside and out, and she fell into heart-wrenching sobs. Eponine let him pull her into his arms because she wasn't sure she'd be able to stand without support. She cried for a long time, letting out all of her pent-up emotions. When she quieted down, Enjolras spoke.

"The rain is getting harder. Maybe we should go to my apartment," she suggested.

"I don't want your pity," she mumbled into his chest.

He chuckled slightly, "You can accept help sometimes, Eponine. You don't have to be so proud all the time."

She pulled back from him.

"I don't need help, but if I did, I have Grantaire," she stated.

"Well, considering Grantaire left without much notice earlier today to visit family, your options are my place or a wet alley."

Eponine's shoulders sank in defeat.

"Fine," she grumbled.

So the two made their way to Enjolras's apartment.

0000

Eponine was sitting on Enjolras's couch and he was bringing tea over to them when Eponine finally spoke.

"Why are you being kind to me after all I said to you out there? I wasn't even there to fight at the barricades."

He sighed, "First of all, Musichetta told me why you weren't at the barricades, and I don't hold that against you. Secondly, everything you said to me was nothing I haven't told myself a thousand times. You only reiterated my own thoughts."

Eponine suddenly felt very guilty.

"I didn't mean it. It's not entirely your fault, Enjolras. It's all our faults."

He just shook his head, and Eponine knew he wouldn't accept her words.

"So if you were so angry with me, how come you didn't leave me to die like you said you should have?" he asked.

Shocked at the question, Eponine glanced up at him, but when she saw the pained look in his eyes, she looked away.

"Actually, I was going to. I was walking away when," Eponine paused to take a deep breath and to look back up at him, "when Gavroche stopped me."

Enjolras looked at her quizzically.

"One time right after I'd been attacked and was staying here, Gav told me I was the best big sister. Then he told me he also had the two best big brothers. When I asked who they were, he replied 'Courfeyrac and Enjolras.' He looked up to both of you so much, and he would've wanted both of you to live. There was nothing I could've done for Courfeyrac, but I knew you could be saved. That's what Gav would've wanted, so I couldn't let you die," she explained.

"I should've died at that barricade. I was prepared to die. It's not fair that I get to live while so many of them are gone," he muttered just above a whisper.

"You're right. It really isn't fair, but Enjolras, if you were meant to die at the barricade, you would have. The same goes for me. I saw the rebellion as the key out of the life I was living. I didn't really care if I died fighting or if I got a better life because of it. I just knew it was my way out. But I didn't make it to the barricade, did I? There must be some reason for that," Eponine said, trying to convince herself just as much as she was trying to convince Enjolras.

They sat in silence for a while after that, drinking their tea and the burden of everything they'd been through only growing heavier.

Eponine cleared her throat, "I know we haven't really ever gotten along, but do you think that maybe we could start over, _again?_"

Enjolras smiled slightly, "Of course."

Then, he got up and collected a blanket and pillow from the bedroom.

"You can take the bed," he said.

Eponine scoffed, "I agreed to come back here, but I'm not kicking you out of your own bedroom. I'll be fine on the couch."

"There's no point in arguing with you, is there?"

"No."

He sighed, "Fine. Goodnight, Eponine."

"Goodnight."

0000

The next day, Eponine was preparing to leave the apartment when Enjolras stopped her.

"You know, everyone is worried about you. They miss you."

"I miss them too, but I couldn't bear to let them see me like this. I haven't really made a better life for myself like I said I would," she sighed.

"Eponine, they're – we're your friends. We don't care about that. We just want you around. Musichetta misses you greatly. The Musain has been shut down, but we've found a new café to meet at, and we're meeting tonight. Why don't you come with me? Of course, Grantaire won't be there, but everyone else will," he suggested.

Eponine stood there thinking for a moment. She knew he was right. The Amis would never think badly of her. They were more than friends. They were her family, and she truly did miss her.

She smiled at Enjolras, "OK, I'll come."

0000

That night when Eponine walked into the café with Enjolras, she was greeted with surprised looks. Musichetta was the first to react. She nearly leapt from her seat by Joly and tackled Eponine in a hug.

"Oh, 'Ponine! Where have you been? I've missed you so much!" the red-head cried.

"I know, 'Chetta. It's been too long."

The two women walked arm in arm to the table where Combeferre, who had fully healed, also hugged her. Eponine sat on the other side of Musichetta, and Joly leaned around his love to say hello to her and to make sure she was in good health. Enjolras sat beside Combeferre.

"How on earth did you two get in touch? Even Grantaire was lucky if he saw you," Combeferre inquired.

So Enjolras told the story of how they, very literally, ran into each other, leaving out some of the details of that Eponine said. That night, they all talked and had a wonderful time together. Eponine felt right at home again with what remained of her friends. For once, she wasn't worried about her life, or money, or if her father would find her. For once, Eponine was relaxed and happy.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! Any thoughts on this chapter? Hopefully I'll have the next one out soon. Thanks for reading.**

**~loislane16**


	11. Chapter 11 - Propositions

Chapter Eleven

Staying at Enjolras's that one time turned into several more times. Eponine spent one-third of her nights on Grantaire's sofa, one-third of her nights desperately trying to make it on her own, and one-third of her nights on Enjolras's sofa. Her friendship with Enjolras had improved greatly, and they enjoyed being around each other. Eponine still had no luck in finding someone who would hire her or in finding a more permanent place to live. She hated feeling like she was imposing on her friends, so the nights she didn't stay with them, she reverted back into her old life of sleeping wherever she could find. She visited her other friends often at the café they met at, and that always lifted her spirits. She loved her friends. They were always two of them came to her separately, each with a proposition. The first occurred one night after visiting with everyone at the café.

It was rather late, and everyone was beginning to disperse. As they were saying their goodbyes, Grantaire pulled Eponine aside.

"Do you want to stay at my place tonight?" he asked, seeing the tiredness in her eyes.

She nodded gratefully. A little while later, they were both stepping into Grantaire's flat. She quickly kicked off her worn boots by the door and plopped down on the couch. Once Grantaire retrieved a pillow, blankets, and one of his nightshirts, he let out a sigh and sat beside her.

"Eponine, you know you're like a sister to me, and I hate seeing you struggle on the streets. I know you want to create a better life for yourself on your own, but I think that with a little help, starting over would be easy. I just wanted you to know that you could move in permanently if you want to," he said.

When he saw she was about to protest, he help up his hands, "Just think about it, 'Ponine."

She smiled slightly at him, "OK, Grant. I'll think about it."

"Good. Goodnight, 'Ponine," he replied, kissing her hand.

"Goodnight."

Then he disappeared into his bedroom, Eponine changed into his nightshirt before settling in on the couch, and they both drifted off to sleep.

0000

The second proposition came a week or so later. It was dark, and Eponine was wandering the city. Out of nowhere, it started to pour. Eponine let out a shriek as the rain hit her in buckets. She pulled her shawl over her head and broke into a sprint. Without realizing it, she ended up at Enjolras's front door. The rain was still coming down hard, so she rapped on the door and prayed he was home. Only seconds later, the door was unlocked and opened. When Enjolras saw her standing there shivering, his eyes widened and he quickly ushered her inside.

"Good grief 'Ponine! You're soaked to the bone!" he exclaimed as he darted off to get her a towel.

"Oh really? I didn't notice," she said sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

With a glare, he tossed her a towel and stoked the fire.

"I'm assuming I'm going to have company tonight?"

"Yep," she smiled.

Not long after Eponine changed into something dry and got warm on the couch, they both went to bed.

The next morning, Eponine was awakened by the smell of food. She was surprised to find Enjolras in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

"Good morning," he said as he placed two plated of food on the table.

"Good morning Enjolras," she replied.

"Listen, 'Ponine, I've been thinking. I know you're really independent and you don't like help, but I wanted to know if you'd like to move in. You're here a lot anyway, and I think it might help you eventually get out on your own. You're my friend, and I thought it wouldn't hurt to offer," Enjolras said.

Eponine stared at him for a moment, almost in bewilderment. This was the second offer she'd gotten to move in with someone. Noticing the odd look on her face, Enjolras raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he questioned.

"Oh, nothing. It's just that Grantaire offered me the same thing a week ago," she explained.

"Oh," he replied, clearly not knowing what to say.

Eponine reached across the table and placed her hand over his, "I'll tell you the same thing I told Grant. I'll think about it. Thank you for offering."

Enjolras offered a small smile and they ate the rest of their breakfast in a comfortable silence. Once Eponine finished, she took her plate to the kitchen.

"Thank you for breakfast. It was delicious. Now, I should probably be going. I've got a long day of job hunting ahead of me."

She quickly changed into her dress that had dried by the fire and told Enjolras goodbye before setting out onto the Parisian streets.

0000

Another week had passed, and Eponine still hadn't responded to either offer. She'd given it a lot of thought and had come to a decision. Now she needed to talk to Grantaire, and she knew right where to find him. She made her way to the café they've been meeting at. When she stepped inside, she quickly found him sitting at the bar.

"Still drinking, Grant?" she asked as she sat beside him.

He smirked at her, "Yes, but not as much as I used to."

"You know the offer you gave me a couple of weeks ago?"

Grantaire nodded, "Have you thought about it?"

She sighed, "Yes, and you should know that Enjolras offered me the same thing."

"Oh?"

"I hope you understand, but I think I'm going to live with him," Eponine said quietly.

"Really? I would think you'd kill each other after a day!" he chuckled, taking a sip of his drink.

"Well, we've actually become good friends."

"I respect your decision, but I am curious about what made you decide that."

Eponine thought for a moment, "I'm not really sure, Grant. I just feel like it's the right decision. I don't know how to explain it."

"I understand. Just know you're always welcome with me, 'Ponine."

"I know, Grant," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

0000

Eponine and Grantaire stayed at the café until that night when everyone else joined them. When Enjolras arrived, he sat by Eponine and she leaned over to him.

"Is your offer still good?" she asked.

He smiled and nodded, "Of course."

That night, she went back to Enjolras's apartment for good, or at least for a little while.

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! I am so sorry this has taken me a while. School has started back for me and everything has been a bit crazy. I'm sorry this chapter is a bit short, but I was struggling with it, and honestly I'm still not happy with it. I'm going to try to upload something a little extra tomorrow since this chapter wasn't that great. Also, I know the characters are becoming OCC. Right now, feedback would be fabulous, because I'm struggling with this story right now. Please, please review! Thanks for hanging with me!**

**~loislane16**


	12. Chapter 12 - Finally Happy

Chapter Twelve

The next few weeks were happy. Eponine and Enjolras got along well. She now called him by his first name because after a couple of days of living with him, she had demanded to know it, explaining that it would be strange to live with someone and not know their first name. After some pestering, Enjolras reluctantly told her and she now called him Adrian.

The living area had been rearranged so a bed could be placed in the corner of the room. Eponine protested this, saying she would be fine on the sofa, but Enjolras ignored her. Now that she was eating properly, she was starting to look healthier and happier. All of her friends pitched in and helped teach her since she had virtually no education as a child. He was learning quickly, already able to read, write, and do basic arithmetic. Musichetta even took her to buy new dresses since she only owned one outfit. Everything in Eponine's life was coming together.

About three weeks after moving in with Enjolras, Eponine spent yet another day job hunting. She dressed in her best dress and told Enjolras she'd meet him at the cafe that evening. After several hours, Enjolras was sitting in the cafe with their friends when Eponine burst through the door.

"Adrian! I got a job!" she beamed as she ran up to the table.

"That's wonderful! Where?" he responded.

"At Monsieur Bayard's bookshop down the street. I start in two days!"

"That's great, 'Ponine. Congratulations," Grantaire smiled.

Everyone else offered their congratulations and they spent the evening celebrating. Eponine's life was finally turning around.

**Author's Note: So, here's the little bit I promised today. I know it's really, really short, but I wanted to add a little more and make it happy. Review please? **

**~loislane16**


	13. Chapter 13 - Nightmare

Chapter Thirteen

A few weeks after Eponine started her job, she was walking back to Enjolras's flat when she saw something that made the color drain from her face. Across the street, there was a man leaning against an alley wall, and Eponine immediately recognized him as one of her father's gang members. She quickly ducked her head and hurried away in the opposite direction. Of course, she still had that paranoid feeling that someone was following her, so her pace picked up. Panic was just beginning to rise in her chest when she reached the flat. She burst through the door, quickly bolting it behind her and taking deep breaths. She was extremely grateful that Enjolras wasn't home yet because she didn't really want to explain her panicked behavior. After calming herself down, she managed to push thoughts of the near encounter from her mind for the rest of the day. She fell asleep that night on her bed in the living area, feeling extremely exhausted and protected with Enjolras right in the other room.

0000

_Eponine snuck into the decrepit house after a late night walk, trying to be as quiet as possible. Suddenly, a booming voice broke the silence and made her jump. _

_ "Where have you been, brat?" _

_ A hand tangled into her hair and snatched her backwards. Her father's rotting teeth and beady eyes appeared before her, and she began to panic. When that evil snarl spread onto his face, she knew what was coming next. Eponine didn't even get a chance to say anything before Thenardier began his attack. His fists assaulted her until she could no longer stand, and then his feet took over, his boots slamming into her. She cried out for him to stop, but the only response was his sinister cackle. Finally, the beating stopped and everything was quiet. Eponine slowly cracked her eyes open, only to be met with another cruel smirk. Looming over her was Montparnasse. He crouched down beside her. _

_ "Hello, my dear," he hissed. _

_ "Leave me alone," she croaked, somehow managing to spit in his direction. _

_ His hand connected with her cheek with a sharp crack. _

_ "That's no way to speak to me. Get up."_

_ "Please, 'Parnasse. Don't," Eponine rasped. _

_ "It's up to you, 'Ponine. It's you or Azelma," Montparnasse challenged. _

_ Eponine's heart sank. She couldn't let him abuse her sister. Very slowly, she lifted herself off the floor, trying to stifle any cries of pain. Montparnasse grinned evilly and grabbed her wrist, dragging her toward her room._

Suddenly, the scene changed before her, and she was lying in her bed in Enjolras's apartment. She was dripping with sweat and her cheeks were wet with tears. Only then did she notice Enjolras by her bed with his hand on her shoulder. She involuntarily pulled the covers up a little further.

"Eponine, are you alright? You were having a nightmare," he said, concern lacing his words.

Still having a hard time gathering her thoughts, she muttered back, "How did you know?"

"You were screaming. I woke you up," he explained.

She looked at him in confusion, "It was a dream?"

He nodded.

"It seemed so real," she breathed.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Enjolras asked.

Eponine slowly sat up, clutching the covers to her chest. She didn't answer immediately, but sat thinking. Enjolras knew some of her past, but he didn't know everything. Part of her was afraid to tell him. She was afraid he would think differently of her, and she was afraid it would damage their friendship. However, she really needed someone to talk to. Grantaire already knew everything and so did Musichetta. Part of her wanted to tell him, to be completely honest with him. She hadn't had a nightmare about her past in months, so she really needed to get it off her chest.

She looked up at him and nodded, "OK."

He disappeared for a moment, but came back with an extra blanket and lit one of the candles beside the bed. Eponine scooted over in the bed so he could sit down as well. He settled in, both of them sitting against the headboard, and he spread the blanket out over them. Eponine was grateful for that because it was early winter and since she'd calmed down, the sweat she'd broken out in was making her cold. Eponine took a deep breath before beginning.

"I was dreaming about my past. For some reason, I was trying to sneak back into my house and my father caught me. He beat me pretty badly, just like he used to always do. He punched me until I collapsed then he started kicking. It felt like forever before he stopped. After he was gone, Montparnasse showed up. There's only one thing Montparnasse ever wants, but I was so weak. I just wanted him to leave me alone. But then he threatened to go find my sister, Azelma. I had to protect her, so I went with him. I guess that's when you woke me up because I don't remember anything else."

Eponine realized that she had been crying so she quickly wiped away the tears.

She sighed and then continued, "I haven't had a dream about them in months, but on the way home from work today, I saw one of my father's gang members. I got back here quickly before he saw me, but that must have been what triggered the dream."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Enjolras asked.

"Well, I sort of forced myself to forget about it. I guess I fooled myself into believing I could do that, but I can't. My father always finds some way to haunt me," she said darkly.

"You're safe now," he whispered, trying to hide the anger in his voice.

He was furious that someone would treat another person that way. They sat there for a little while longer in the candle light before Enjolras moved to get up. Without even thinking, Eponine reached out and grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Stay, Adrian. Please," she said softly.

He noticed then that her hand, which was still gripping his arm, was trembling. He obliged and settled back down on the bed, wrapping an arm around her before blowing out the candle. She rested her head on his shoulder and let out a ragged breath. Soon, they were both fast asleep.

**Author's Note: Hello readers! I know it's another short one, but I'm having a hard time writing lately. I wanted to thank my guest reviewer, Audrey! Thank you so much for that review. It made me smile. **

**So what do you think will happen next? Please, please review. If you have any ideas or suggestions for what you'd like to see in this story, then please share them. School has started back, and I'm really busy, so I don't know when I'll update again. However, I'll try not to take too long. Maybe I'll suddenly get more inspiration. Who knows? Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!**

**~loislane16**


	14. Chapter 14 - Curious Friends

Chapter Fourteen

After her nightmare, Eponine and Enjolras's relationship had gotten even better, so much so that their friends began to be curious. It was now December, and Christmas was fast approaching.

Eponine left work one afternoon and headed to the cafe, knowing all her friends would be there. Upon entering, she found the group sitting at the back corner table, with Enjolras's back to the door. Suddenly, an idea popped into her mind. She walked quietly up to the group and very swiftly covered Enjolras's eyes, causing him to jump.

"Who's there?" she whispered, trying not to give her voice away.

"Hmm, French Revolution," he responded with a chuckle.

Eponine huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Adrian!" she complained.

"Oh, 'Ponine, it's you! I had no idea!" Enjolras said sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes again and promptly uncovered his eyes. Plopping down in the empty chair in between him and Grantaire, she threw her feet across Grantaire's lap and reclined back against Enjolras's broad shoulder.

"Long day at work?" Grantaire smirked.

She sighed, "Incredibly."

"Glad to be of assistance," Enjolras huffed, "Although, being someone's personal settee isn't my favorite job."

Eponine, for the third time in less than ten minutes, rolled her eyes and moved to sit normally in her chair. Musichetta, who had picked up a shift at this cafe since the Musian closed, was just getting off. She joined them, sitting in Joly's lap.

"So does anyone have any plans for Christmas?" Combeferre inquired.

Almost everyone in the group responded, saying they didn't. Eponine stayed quiet, thinking.

"Do you normally have plans on Christmas?" she asked timidly.

She was answered with a unanimous yes.

"You don't?" Joly asked.

Eponine looked down at her hands resting in her lap, a blush creeping onto her cheeks.

"I haven't celebrated Christmas since Papa began - since we lost the inn."

The table was quiet and Enjolras reached over to hold one of her hands.

"Well, we'll have to go all out this year," Grantaire announced.

Eponine looked up at him, smiling wide.

"We can all get together at our place," Joly offered.

"And I'll take you gift shopping, 'Ponine!" Musichetta smiled.

Eponine was astonished, "You'd really do all this for me? You don't have to. I'm sure you all have other things you like to do. I've lived this long without celebrating Christmas. Another year won't hurt."

"Of course we would, and you should enjoy Christmas," Enjolras chimed in.

Combeferre grinned,"As we've already established, we don't have any plans, and I couldn't think of a better way to spend Christmas than with us all together anyway."

Eponine's smile widened. She realized that she had the best friends in the entire world.

A little while later when Eponine and Enjolras left, they failed to notice the interesting looks shared between their friends. Their friends knew something was up between them, but they were pretty sure that neither Eponine nor Enjolras was even aware of it.

0000

It was Eponine's day off, and also the day Musichetta was taking her Christmas shopping. Enjolras watched as she reached under her pillow and pulled out her small purse where she kept the money she'd earned from her new job. She pulled some bills out before stuffing it back under her pillow. When she turned back around, Enjolras pressed some money into her palm.

"You've been saving for a place of your own, 'Ponine. You shouldn't have to spend that money."

"I don't want to take your money, Adrian," she complained.

"For my piece of mind, take it. I don't want you spending the money you've been working so hard to earn," he said.

"Fine. But I'm not buying your present with your money, Adrian. That would be like you buying your own gift!" she laughed.

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit."

She flashed him a smile in return before putting on her coat and shoving the money in the pocket.

Eponine walked down the block to the place where she'd agreed to meet Musichetta, finding the other woman already there. They greeted each other and set back out on the streets. Musichetta had agreed to take Eponine to the best places to find gifts. As they walked, Musichetta decided to bring up a topic that she had been wondering about for weeks.

"So, what's going on between you and Enjolras?"

Eponine frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Well, you two just seem very...friendly around each other lately," the other woman said.

"We're friends. Aren't we supposed to be friendly around each other?"

"But it seems more than that..."

Eponine sighed, "What are you implying, 'Chetta?"

Musichetta was quiet for a moment, thinking.

Finally, she answered, "It just seems to me that you might be a bit smitten with him."

Eponine stopped dead in her tracks and stared at her friend.

"Don't be ridiculous! Adrian and I are merely really good friends and nothing more! Don't get any crazy ideas."

The two started walking again, neither saying anything for a while. After a moment Musichetta spoke again, "Just because Marius is probably dead-"

"We don't know that!" Eponine interrupted.

"OK. Just because Marius is not around anymore doesn't mean you can't love again, 'Ponine. I know something inside you still feels something for Marius, but it's time to move on. Forgive me if this is harsh, but even if he was still around, do you truly believe he'd choose to be with you over Cosette? The man never noticed you, Eponine. You were mad about him, but he was blind to your love. You need someone who adores you as much as you adore them. I know you don't want to believe it, but there is something between you and Enjolras," Musichetta said.

"There is nothing between us. If you recall, we practically hated each other. Now, we've finally gotten over that and become friends. That's all there is to it."

"Whatever you say, 'Ponine."

Musichetta dropped the subject as they stepped into their first shop.

0000

A few hours later, their shopping was almost done. It was a successful trip, and Eponine managed to find a gift for everyone except Musichetta, since it couldn't be purchased while she was shopping with her. She had purchased a newly published philosophy book for Combeferre, a set of paints for Grantaire, and a hat for Joly.

Eponine looked at the bags she was carrying,"Well, that about does it. I suppose I'll get Adrian to go with me to get your gift."

Just then, Grantaire spotted them in the crowded street and joined them.

"Hello 'Ponine, 'Chetta. What are you two up to?" he smiled.

"'Chetta just took me on my first Christmas shopping trip. It was pretty successful. I've just got to get her gift now," Eponine replied.

"Sounds like you had a good day. I'm out running errands, so if you're up for it, you can come along with me and we can get the gift while we're out," he suggested.

"Wonderful," she smiled.

"Eponine, would you like for me to take the gifts back to my place. I know you don't really have a good place to hide them at Enjolras's," Musichetta offered.

"Thank you, 'Chetta. That sounds great."

"Well, I should be going. I'll see you later, 'Ponine. Goodbye, Grantaire."

The two told Musichetta goodbye and continued on their way. Eponine went with Grantaire while he completed all his errands, and then they went to buy Musichetta's gift. While Grantaire was walking Eponine back to Enjolras's flat, he decided to ask her a question.

"Eponine, is something going on between you and Enjolras?"

Eponine groaned, "Not you too, Grant!"

"I just know you've had a really hard time with losing Gav and Marius...going missing. These last few weeks have seemed better, and you seem happier. I thought maybe Enjolras had something to do with that. I just want you to be happy 'Ponine."

She wrapped an arm around him as they continued walking, "Nothing is going on between us, Grant. I am happy though, but it's because I have the best friends a girl could ask for."

"Alright," he sighed, unconvinced.

When they reached the flat, they discovered that Enjolras wasn't home. Grantaire offered to stay with her until he got back, but she refused, saying she'd be fine. She settled in and began making dinner, thinking about the odd conversations she'd had that day. There was nothing going on between her and Enjolras. She couldn't be in love with him. She couldn't afford to be hurt again. As she thought about the conversations, she kept telling herself over and over that she didn't love him. She couldn't. But at the same time, deep in her mind, something was making her doubt her denial. She didn't love him. She couldn't. Or could she? He was special to her. He cared about her and protected her. She quickly pushed those thoughts away. It wasn't love. It wasn't. Or was it?

0000

Not too much later, Enjolras returned home and dinner was almost ready.

"Where've you been?" Eponine asked.

"I met Joly and Combeferre at the cafe for lunch, but we lost track of time," he answered.

They both sat down at the small table to eat.

"How was your shopping trip?" he questioned between bites of food.

"It went well. Musichetta took everything home with her since I didn't really have a place to put it here. I do have Musichetta's gift here though because we ran into Grant, and he took me to get her gift."

"Well, it sounds like you had a good time."

After dinner, they both cleaned up the kitchen and retired to the living area. Enjolras reclined on the couch with a book while Eponine sat in front of the glistening fire, attempting to wrap Musichetta's Christmas present, a colorful scarf.

Enjolras tried to focus on the book in his hands, but he found that watching Eponine was much more entertaining. She stared at the package in deep concentration. The newspaper she was using to wrap the gift was lying beside her, but she thought for a moment before picking it up. Watching her wrestle with the paper, trying to get it to fit right on the package was completely amusing to Enjolras. But then his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He noticed how healthy she was looking, no longer skin and bones. Her dark hair now had a healthy bounce and shine, and was cascading down her back in loose waves. Then he noticed how the firelight made her caramel eyes gleam and seem full of life. When she finally succeeded in wrapping the gift, a bright smile spread across her face, making her dimples appear. He thought to himself that she was truly beautiful. He shut his book and got up.

"I think I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight, 'Ponine," he said.

"Alright. Goodnight, Adrian," she smiled back.

Once in the privacy of his room, he started thinking of the strange conversation he'd had early that day.

_ Comebeferre leaned back in his chair and sighed, "How are things between you and Eponine?"_

_ "They're good," Enjolras replied. _

_ "That's all?" Joly asked. _

_ "Yes? Should it be something more?"_

_ Joly and Combeferre shared a look. _

_ "It just seems like your and Eponine's relationship is more than that," Combeferre said hesitantly. _

_ "What?" Enjolras questioned. _

_ "You two act like more than just friends. It seems to me that you have feelings for her," Joly explained. _

_ "That's insane. You know I have no interest in a relationship!"_

_ Combeferre rolled his eyes, "That was during the rebellion, Enjolras. The rebellion is over now."_

_ "That doesn't change anything! I don't have any feelings for Eponine. She is merely my good friend," Enjolras insisted. _

_ "There's more there," Joly prodded. _

_ "No there isn't!"_

_ "If you say so," Combeferre sighed. _

Enjolras contemplated his friends' words and the fact that he had just found himself thinking that Eponine was beautiful. Could Combeferre and Joly be right? Enjolras shook his head to clear his mind and got ready for bed.

**Author's note: Hello readers! So Eponine and Enjolras are a bit confused. Do they have feelings for each other or not? You'll have to wait and see! Thanks for reading and please review!**

**~loislane16**


	15. Chapter 15 - Christmas Cheer

Chapter Fifteen

As the final days before Christmas passed, Enjolras and Eponine both pushed the confusing thoughts of love from their minds. They continued to live their lives as they always had. Eponine wrapped her presents at Musichetta's and brought them home to put under the Christmas tree

0000

Eponine woke up early to the smell of something delicious. She sat up and glanced out the window, seeing everything covered in a blanket of snow. Suddenly, she realized what day it was and smiled. It was Christmas morning. Eponine swiftly got up, pulled on her robe, and made her way to the kitchen area where the wonderful smell was coming from. She found Enjolras baking pastries.

"Merry Christmas, 'Ponine," he greeted.

"Merry Christmas, Adrian. I didn't know you could bake!" she smiled.

Enjolras chuckled, "To be honest, I didn't know I could either."

What Enjolras had left out, was that he'd actually sought out the recipe and forced himself to learn so that he could make her something special. Eponine let out a musical laugh and sat down at the table to watch him. After a little while, the pastries were done, and Enjolras brought them to the table. Eponine grabbed one and sunk her teeth in, closing her eyes as she did so.

"Well?" Enjolras asked.

"Mmm, they're delicious, Monsieur. You should reconsider your law profession and become a baker."

"I think I'll stick to law, 'Ponine, but I'm glad you like them," he smiled, taking one for himself.

0000

The day carried on merrily, and eventually it was almost time for everyone to go to Joly and Musichetta's place. Eponine was dressed and ready, but Enjolras was still in his room.

"Adrian, are you almost ready?" she asked, becoming a bit impatient.

His door opened, and he walked out while tying his cravat, a smirk on his face.

"Patience, 'Ponine. The time to leave won't come any faster even if you rush."

She blushed, "I know, but I'm excited!"

"Well before we go, I wanted to give you your present," he said before disappearing back into his room.

Eponine waited patiently as he returned with a large, unwrapped box. He placed it on the bed beside her, then nodded as if to say "go ahead." Gingerly, she began opening the box and gasped when she saw what was inside. He had gotten her a wonderful wool coat, matching gloves, and new boots that didn't have holes in the toes like the ones she currently owned. Eponine jumped up and tackled him in a hug.

"Oh, Adrian! Thank you so much! It's amazing!"

He hugged her back, "I'm glad you like it, 'Ponine. I wanted to give it to you early so you could wear it since it's so cold outside."

She smiled up at him, and he helped her into her coat.

"Well, I should give you your gift then," she smiled.

He smiled back at her as she grabbed a newspaper wrapped box and handed it to him. She watched as he began to open it. His smile faltered when he opened it, and Eponine worried that he didn't like it.

"Eponine," he breathed, "It's wonderful."

He lifted the new, red jacket out of the box so he could see it better.

"I thought you might want a new one since your favorite was destroyed in the fight."

Enjolras stared at it for a moment, and Eponine could tell by the look in his eyes that he was reminiscing.

He glanced up at her, half-smiling, "It makes me think of them, you know."

Eponine nodded, and he pulled her into a hug.

"Thank you, 'Ponine," he sighed.

After that, they both finished getting ready to leave, and they set out to the party.

0000

The night passed with much fun and festivity. Everyone had a great time laughing, talking, and exchanging gifts. It was late into the night when Enjolras and Eponine finally left with their gifts in tow. After they had gotten home and settled in, Enjolras made some tea and joined Eponine on the couch.

"Did you have a good evening?" he asked.

"It was wonderful. Thank you so much for helping to make it special. It really meant a lot."

Enjolras shrugged his shoulders, "You deserved it. Honestly, I think we were all a bit appalled that you hadn't celebrated Christmas since you were young."

Her eyes darkened, "There are so many people out there like me, Adrian."

"I know, and hopefully we can change that one day."

They sat in comfortable silence for a little bit longer before Enjolras bid her goodnight, and they both went to bed.

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that took me a while. So, how do you like the Christmas chapter? Please review and let me know! It would be much, much appreciated. The next chapter is a bit heavy and emotional so…yeah. Thanks for reading and PLEASE REVIEW!**

**~loislane16**


	16. Chapter 16 - A Terrible Shock

Chapter Sixteen

The year ended and a new one began. Everything was pretty much normal. Enjolras was almost done with his law degree, and Eponine was doing very well at her job. Grantaire and Combeferre were also almost done with their degrees.

Eponine and Enjolras continued to try to ignore what they were feeling, but it was becoming harder. Eponine found herself thinking of Enjolras all the time and how he was so kind to her. Enjolras couldn't help but notice her dimples when she smiled at him or how her eyes would always sparkle when she laughed. But they would never admit that they were anything more than friends.

0000

A few weeks into the New Year, everyone decided to meet at the café as normal. They were having a great time laughing and talking. There was a break in the conversation so Musichetta cleared her throat, and everyone got quiet.

"Alexandre and I have some news," she smiled.

Everyone waited expectantly for what they were going to say.

Joly spoke, "Musichetta and I got married."

"What?!" everyone exclaimed.

"You didn't think to tell us?" Combeferre asked.

"Or, I don't know, invite us to the wedding?" Grantaire included.

Musichetta rolled her eyes, "There really wasn't a wedding. It was more of a spur of the moment thing over the holidays."

"Well, congratulations," Enjolras said.

Just then, someone stepped into the café, but the only person in the group to notice was Eponine. When she saw who it was, her heart nearly stopped. She gripped Enjolras's arm tightly. Alarmed from her grip, he glanced over at her, seeing she was pale and beginning to look like a cornered animal.

"Eponine, are you alright?" he asked.

She whispered loudly enough just so they could hear, "'Parnasse."

Sure enough, Montparnasse was in the café and walking towards them. There was no mistaking who he was headed towards because they were the only people in the café. The Amis jumped up, surrounding Eponine to protect her. Combeferre and Joly stood on either side of her, while Musichetta stood with her, a protective arm wrapped around her shoulder. Enjolras and Grantaire stood in front of them, putting a barrier between Eponine and Montparnasse.

"What do you want?" Grantaire spat.

"I need to speak with 'Ponine."

"You need to leave," Enjolras responded.

Montparnasse huffed and looked between the two men to Eponine, "Please, 'Ponine. It's important. I just want a moment to speak with you alone."

Eponine studied him. Something had changed. When she looked into his eyes, she could see that something was different. He could never hide the evilness in his eyes, but that sinister look was no longer there. Yes, something was different. Just when Enjolras was about to, very literally, throw Montparnasse out of the café, Eponine spoke up.

"OK," she said.

All the Amis looked at her like she had lost her mind.

"It's OK," she whispered to them.

She pushed through Enjolras and Grantaire, and followed Montparnasse out the back door of the café. Once the door was shut, Eponine faced him, crossing her arms.

"It's been a while 'Ponine. You're looking nice," Montparnasse said.

"Yes, well I have a better life now. I actually eat, and I have people who care about me."

"I care about you. I've missed you, 'Ponine."

Eponine scoffed and rolled her eyes, "I'm sure you have."

"I'm not like that anymore," Montparnasse sighed.

"And what exactly made that happen?" she demanded.

"Azelma."

Eponine's arms dropped to her sides.

"What do you mean, 'Azelma'?"

"She's gone, 'Ponine," he said quietly.

Eponine began to panic, "Gone? What are you talking about?"

"She's dead. Your father…he was in one of his blind rages, and he killed her, 'Ponine. Your mother fled the city. I left the gang when it happened. I don't want anything to do with Thènardier anymore."

Eponine felt like someone had kicked her in the chest. She couldn't breathe, and the world stopped around her.

"No…no, Azelma can't be gone. She can't!"

"I'm so sorry, 'Ponine. I'll see you again someday," he said before slipping into the shadows.

Eponine stood there frozen, unable to move or process thoughts. She wasn't sure how long she stood there, but she eventually heard the door open behind her. It was Grantaire.

"'Ponine? Are you alright?"

She slowly turned to face him. He became alarmed when he saw how pale her face was and how badly she was shaking. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.

"What's wrong, Eponine?"

"I want to go home, Grant," she mumbled, staring at her feet.

"You mean with Enjolras?" he asked.

She nodded, still trembling. Grantaire led her inside, and when everyone saw what state she was in, they jumped up. Enjolras rushed over to them.

"What's happened?" he demanded.

Eponine kept staring at her feet.

"Take me home, Adrian, please," she mumbled again.

"You need to tell us what's wrong, Eponine," Enjolras insisted.

Finally, she looked up at him, and he could see the deep pain in her watery eyes.

"Azelma's dead."

She looked back down and screwed her eyes shut.

"Please, let's go home. I just want to go home," she whispered.

The news came as a terrible shock to everyone. Enjolras took Grantaire's place, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"OK, let's go home," he replied.

On the walk back to the apartment, Eponine began to cry. At first, it was silent tears, but it soon progressed to the point that Enjolras had to help her walk. About halfway home, Eponine ripped free from Enjolras's grip to run into an alley and retch. She fell to her knees, sobbing harder. Enjolras decided to pick her up bridal-style and carry her the rest of the way home, for she was too upset to go any farther.

By the time they reached the apartment, Eponine's sobs had quieted somewhat. Enjolras sat down on her bed, reclining against the headboard and cradling Eponine in his arms. She buried her face in his chest, her sobs turning to whimpers. Through the tears, she would mumble that her father was a murderer and that she should've protected Azelma. She also mumbled apologies to her sister. It wasn't hard for Enjolras to figure out what had happened. Thènardier had killed Azelma, and Eponine felt responsible because she left Azelma there instead of making the girl run away with her. Enjolras wanted nothing more than to take away Eponine's pain. He tried to comfort her, but Eponine seemed unaware of her surroundings. Eventually, she fell asleep in his arms. Enjolras held her tightly, and after a while, he too drifted off to sleep.

**Author's Note: Wow, I am so sorry if that was just utterly depressing. So, Monty is back and Azelma is gone. How did you like that twist? And the ending of the chapter? What do you think is next for our lovely pair? Please, review and let me know!**

**Also, I wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed! It has really meant a lot and it has encouraged me to write more. Thanks for everything!**

**~loislane16**


	17. Chapter 17 - Slowly Recovering

Chapter Seventeen

Enjolras was the first to wake up the next morning, finding himself in Eponine's bed with her head on his chest and her arm draped loosely across her back, holding her. At first, Enjolras let himself think how comfortable it was to have her in his arms. He noticed how her resting with her head on his chest felt so natural. He pondered the idea that he did truly love her, but he quickly dismissed those thoughts. He didn't want a relationship. He was certain he didn't want a relationship. He let himself get too close to Eponine. At least that's what he was telling himself. He'd gone too far, and now he needed to put some distance between them. Trying not to wake her, Enjolras shifted Eponine off of him and slid out of bed, retreating to his own room.

0000

Light flooding through the living area window woke Eponine, and she rolled over, rubbing her eyes. All the events of the previous night came rushing back to her mind. She remembered Montparnasse and the horrible news he brought. She remembered losing all control and feeling completely hopeless. She remembered retching in the alley and Enjolras carrying her home. She remembered Enjolras trying to console her as she sobbed, eventually falling asleep in his arms. At first, she wondered if it was all just a horrible nightmare, but then she realized how swollen her eyes were and how weary she felt, and that was enough proof that everything that happened night before was real. Azelma was really gone. She felt tears begin to sting her eyes so she sat up, taking deep breaths.

"Adrian?" she called.

There was no answer. She slowly got up and walked around the apartment. Enjolras's door was open, and he was nowhere to be found. When she looked at the clock, she knew he was already at the university. She sighed, feeling a bit lost now that she was alone. She didn't want to be alone. Her heart was too heavy, and she felt like her resolve could crumble at any moment. Noticing that she was still in her clothes from the day before, Eponine quickly changed and freshened up before leaving the apartment, wanting to talk to someone.

First, Eponine made her way to the café. To her disappointment, no one was there. She was already tired of walking, so she decided to try the place that she was pretty certain she'd find someone. After only a few more minutes, Eponine knocked on Grantaire's door.

He answered it with a smile, "Hello, 'Ponine. Come in."

She stepped inside, and Grantaire shut the door behind her.

"What brings you by?" he asked.

"Well, Adrian is at the university, and I didn't want to be alone."

Grantaire placed a hand on her arm, "Are you alright, Eponine?

She let out a ragged breath, "I don't know, Grant."

He pulled her into a tight hug, rubbing her back. She nestled her head in the curve of his shoulder, letting him hold her and comfort her. After a moment, she pulled away and they both sat on the couch.

"I know this is probably the last thing you want to talk about, but what happened to Azelma?" he asked gently.

"Our father killed her. I don't know why. Montparnasse just said Papa was in one of his rages. 'Parnasse left the gang when he saw Papa murder her. My mother has fled the city."

"I'm so sorry, 'Ponine."

Eponine stared at her lap and picked at her fingernails.

"You're thinking about something. What is it?" he asked.

She sighed, "I can't help but feel responsible for all this. I left 'Zelma there unprotected. If I had only just made her come with me…"

"Eponine, you are in no way responsible for Azelma's death. You know she wouldn't have come with you. Even if you forced her, she would've gone back. You can't blame yourself," Grantaire said.

Eponine nodded, more tears beginning to fall, "I know. It's just hard to remember sometimes."

He pulled her into a hug again, and they sat there for a long while as she grieved.

0000

Grantaire and Eponine lost track of time and soon it was dinner. They ate together because it was easiest, but not long after, Eponine decided to head home. When she arrived at the flat, she expected to find Enjolras at his desk. However, the living area of the apartment was empty and all was quiet. Enjolras's door was shut, and Eponine noticed candle light shining through the crack at the bottom.

"Adrian, I'm home," she called.

He didn't respond. Eponine shrugged, assuming he was busy studying, and retired to her bed to read.

**Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm sorry this one is a bit shorter. I had some trouble writing it. What is going on with Enjolras? I hope to have the next chapter up soon. Until then, please review and let me know your thoughts! Thanks for reading!**

**~loislane16**


	18. Chapter 18 - Eponine and Enjolras

Chapter Eighteen

The following weeks after Azelma's death were miserable for Eponine. She felt like she was stuck in a deep rut of depression and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't claw herself out. Every day was the same routine. She woke up, went to work, and then she went to bed. There wasn't much more to her days. Occasionally, she would go to the café with her friends. However, Azelma was constantly on her mind. She now had no family left. Of course she had the Amis, but that was different. Her younger brother and sister were both gone, and she'd long disowned her parents. Grantaire did an amazing job as a stand-in brother, and Eponine truly loved him, but it would never be the same as Gavroche or Azelma. In a sense, Eponine felt alone.

Because work took up a lot of her time, Eponine hadn't been able to visit Gavroche's grave in weeks. Azelma didn't have a burial place, and Eponine knew she'd probably never find her sister's body. She planned on making a memorial for Azelma next to Gavroche, but because she hadn't visited the gravesite in a while, she had yet to do it.

On top of everything else that was going on, Enjolras had been acting strange. He was spending a lot of time out of the apartment, and when he was home, he shut himself in his room. At first, he told her that he needed to study for exams, but as the weeks passed by, Eponine began to doubt that his statement was true. He avoided Eponine like he was afraid to talk to her. When they had conversations, they were merely casual, and he would quickly change the topic if they became anything more. He no longer gave her hugs and on the rare occasion that they ventured out of the flat together, he put a fair amount of distance between them as they walked. When they met their friends at the café, he would never contribute much to the conversation, or he would sit at the corner of the table and read.

Then, he started doing something Eponine found really strange. It first occurred about three weeks after Azelma's death. It was late, and they were both in the living area of the flat. Eponine was on her bed reading, and Enjolras was doing the same on the couch. The silence in the room was extremely awkward. Finally, Enjolras shut his book and stood.

"Goodnight Eponine," he said.

Before she could reply, he was in his room with the door closed. Then, it dawned on her. Had he really just called her _Eponine_? The only time he ever called her that was when he was being extremely serious. Other than that, he'd called her 'Ponine for months. Eponine didn't think much of it at first because he'd been in such a strange mood. But, two weeks later when he was still calling her nothing but Eponine, she became concerned. One night after an incredibly long day, Eponine was going to meet their friends at the café. On her way out, she turned to Enjolras who was sitting at his desk.

"I'm heading to the café. Are you sure you don't want to come, Adrian?"

"I'm sure, Eponine," he answered flatly.

There is was again. _Eponine_, not _'Ponine._

"Well, alright. I'll be back later."

Then, she set out to the café. Only a few minutes later, Eponine arrived to find all her friends already there. She walked over to them with a smile and sat by Musichetta.

"Where's Enjolras?" Joly asked.

Enjolras sighed, "Oh, he's at home."

The night carried on merrily, and Eponine enjoyed her time with her friends. As the night came to a close, Eponine ran to catch up with Combeferre. He had already stepped onto the street when she reached him.

"'Ferre! Could I speak with you?" she called.

He stopped and turned to her, "Of course. Why don't I walk with you back to Enjolras's flat, and we can talk on the way?"

She smiled and nodded before they started their walk.

"I was just curious. Had Adrian been acting strange around you? You've been spending more time around him than I have lately."

Combeferre thought for a moment, "Well, maybe a little bit. Has he been acting differently around you?"

"You could say that. He avoids me and spends a lot of time out of the flat or locked in his room. A few weeks ago, he stopped calling me 'Ponine. It's been very…tense in the apartment," she sighed.

Combeferre was silent for a while, but then he stopped walking when the apartment came into view, and Eponine stopped with him.

"Well, 'Ponine that sounds like the Enjolras I knew before the rebellion. I wish I could tell you why he's acting like that but I'm not sure. If you need anything, you know where to find me or any of the others for that matter."

She smiled sadly, "Thank you, 'Ferre."

He told her goodbye, and she ran off to the apartment. She walked inside and found that Enjolras was, once again, shut in his room. She was becoming perturbed.

0000

The next morning, Eponine was actually awake before Enjolras left. She had planned that. If he wanted to start calling each other by more formal names again, then so be it, but she wanted to see his reaction when she started to do what he had been doing.

Eponine was sitting at the table eating breakfast when he left his room and gathered his things.

"Have a good day," she smiled.

"You too. Goodbye, Eponine," he muttered.

"Goodbye, _Enjolras_."

He faltered slightly when he heard her call him something other than Adrian. She'd called him by his first name since she moved in. He quickly recovered, almost without skipping a beat, and continued out the door. Eponine smiled to herself. Enjolras was acting like an idiot, and Eponine was getting fed up.

**Author's Note: First of all, thank you so much to everyone who reviewed. Huge thanks to **_**24601yourparolesbegun12**_**, **_**NorwegianAlien**_**, and **_**audrey-pinklimepanda. **_**Your reviews meant a lot to me and encouraged me when writing this chapter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thanks again for reading and please drop a review my way! Hopefully, I'll be posting again soon!**

**~loislane16**


	19. Chapter 19 - The Fall Out

Chapter Nineteen

Things continued to get tenser over the next two weeks. The two avoided each other all the time and hardly spoke. They only called each other _Eponine _and _Enjolras._ Truthfully, Eponine was only reciprocating Enjolras's behavior because she was mad at him. With each day that passed, Eponine was becoming more and more irritated.

The whole charade had been going on for almost two months after Azelma's death. After a particularly tiresome day at work, Eponine sat in the apartment alone. It was pitch dark outside and oil-lamps illuminated the apartment. No one met at the café that evening, and when Enjolras didn't show up for dinner, Eponine was left to make and eat dinner by herself. She was sitting at the small dining table running her finger around the rim of a cup of tea when Enjolras finally arrived home.

"Have you eaten?" she asked, watching as he shed his coat.

He continued walking toward his room while nodding, "Goodnight, Eponine."

"What is your problem?" Eponine huffed.

Enjolras stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, a surprised look on his face, "Excuse me?"

"You know what I'm talking about! You've been avoiding me for almost two months! You'll barely look at me. You used to call me 'Ponine or actually _speak_ to me for that matter. I'm not sure what's happened between us, but I don't like it," she exclaimed while standing and rounding the table to be closer to him.

"Why are you so upset, Eponine?" he questioned, raising his voice slightly.

Eponine let out a sardonic laugh, "I'm upset, _Enjolras_, because all my life I've only been pretending. I had to pretend at home with my father and Montparnasse. I had to pretend that Marius even cared for me the slightest bit. I've been pretending that I've been OK since my brother, sister, and most of my friends were killed, when in reality I'm dying from grief on the inside. Now, I'm pretending with you, and I'm sick of it."

When she saw the even more confused expression on Enjolras's face, she wanted to scream.

"I'm upset because _I love you_. I love you, and you love me but you're too afraid to admit it!" she shrieked.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she knew they were a mistake. Out of instinct, she clamped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. When tears started to form and she began to tremble, she knew she needed to get out of there. Eponine bolted for the door and scrambled onto the street. Somewhere just below the surface of her heart, she was hurt and disappointed that Enjolras had done nothing to stop her from leaving.

0000

Enjolras stood there completely frozen. Her words rang loudly in his mind. _I love you, and you love me but you're too afraid to admit it!_ He wanted to stop her from leaving, but he hadn't been able to do so because of his shocked state. His head began to spin, and for a moment, he thought he was going to pass out. He quickly reached out to steady himself, grasping the back of the sofa and taking deep breaths. Enjolras knew he had feelings for Eponine, but he didn't want to. He didn't want to be in love with anyone. At least, he thought he didn't. It was all too complicated. Now, frustration was building inside him. With a growl, he swiped everything off of his desk in one fluid motion before knotting his fingers in his hair. Why had he let her leave? It was late, and there was no telling where she'd gone. With the way he'd been shutting her out, she'd probably never forgive him now. Someone needed to find her, and Enjolras knew that she wouldn't respond to him if he were the one to find her. After calming down, Enjolras jumped into action.

0000

Eponine ran as fast as her legs could take her, tears pouring down her face. Why had she let those words slip out of her mouth? Enjolras would never love her, not in that way. He was just another heartbreak in her life. Even if he did love her, he would never admit it.

Without even thinking about where she was going, she ended up at Gavroche's gravesite. All the other Amis that had fallen during the rebellion were also buried there because none of their bodies had been claimed. By the time she reached the spot, it had started to rain, but Eponine didn't care. She collapsed on the ground, still sobbing. She closed her eyes, just wanted everything to disappear for a while. She must have fallen asleep, because the next thing she knew, she was awakened by the sound of horses galloping and people calling her name. The rain had stopped, but it was still pitch dark. Eponine sat up and squinted to make out the two figures riding toward her. She soon recognized them as Grantaire and Combeferre. Grantaire skidded his horse to a stop and jumped off, running in her direction, with Combeferre following suit.

"'Ponine, you scared us to death! Enjolras told us you'd run off, and I figured you would've ended up here," Grantaire said.

Eponine said nothing. She was fighting back tears. Combeferre gently wrapped a blanket around her shoulders.

"Are you alright, Eponine?" Combeferre asked.

She just shook her head and collapsed into Grantaire's arms, letting the tears fall.

"Let's go back to my apartment, 'Ponine," Grantaire suggested.

He helped her stand and mount the horse.

"I'll go tell the others that we found her and she's with you," Combeferre said.

Grantaire nodded his thanks, and they rode off, heading in separate directions. Once they arrived at Grantaire's apartment, Eponine explained the whole situation. They sat on the sofa together, with Eponine nestled into Grantaire's side and his arm around her.

"You really love him, don't you 'Ponine?"

"I suppose, but what does that matter? He'll never feel the same. It's just like Marius all over again. I might as well move on."

"You don't know that."

Eponine just shrugged.

"So, what now?" he sighed.

"Could I stay with you for a little while, Grant?" she asked quietly.

"Of course. I'll go get your things tomorrow."

"Thank you."

"Anything, 'Ponine," Grantaire smiled sadly.

0000

The next day, Grantaire left Eponine at the apartment and went to get her things from Enjolras. When he knocked on the door, Enjolras flung the door open, a worried expression on his face.

"How's Eponine?" he asked.

Grantaire raised his eyebrows, "Not too happy with you, that's for sure."

Enjolras sighed and stepped aside to let his friend in.

"Actually, 'Ponine's going to stay with me for a while, so I came to get her things," Grantaire said.

He couldn't help but notice the look of hurt that flashed across Enjolras's face.

"Alright. I'll help you gather her things."

It didn't take long because Eponine had very few belongings, but Enjolras helped pack them up. Just as Grantaire was about to leave, he stopped and turned to Enjolras.

"Enjolras, you know Eponine means a lot to me, and you've really hurt her. Honestly, I'm pretty tired of seeing her hurt. She told me everything that's happened since her sister's murder. What's been going on with you?" he questioned.

Enjolras ran his hands over his face, "I don't know, Grantaire."

"_Do_ you love her, Enjolras?"

Enjolras stared at him, shocked by the abrupt question.

He fumbled over his words, "No…I don't know…yes. OK yes, I do love her, but I can't Grantaire. I just can't.

"Why exactly not?"

"I don't need a relationship. I don't _want _a relationship," he replied mechanically, almost as if he'd repeated the words to himself a thousand times before.

"You don't sound so sure about that," Grantaire challenged.

Enjolras ignored the comment, "Do you think she'll ever forgive me?"

Grantaire sighed, "I don't know, Enjolras. But you need to figure out where you stand with your relationship with her first. I don't think Eponine can take much more hurt. So help me Adrian, if you're the one to cause her anymore heartache…" he stopped, leaving his threat open ended, but his eyes made it clear what he meant.

Enjolras swallowed, "I understand. Goodbye, Grantaire."

"Goodbye, Enjolras."

Once he was gone, Enjolras sank onto the sofa and put his head in his hands. He felt lost, confused, frustrated, and a bit hopeless. He wasn't sure where he stood with Eponine. He knew he loved her, but he wasn't sure he wanted to be in a relationship. Besides that, he wasn't sure she'd ever forgive him. He leaned back, closed his eyes, and sighed. It would be so much easier to let her go, to let her move on. It would cause no more heartache for her. At least, he thought it wouldn't. He would move on eventually as well. Enjolras began to think that maybe their fall out was for the best.

**Author's Note: So… Eponine blurted out that she loved Enjolras. Grantaire is standing up for his 'Ponine. Enjolras is totally confused and about to just give up. What's going to happen next? Please review! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing for the last chapter if you did so. **

**~loislane16**


	20. Chapter 20 - No More Pretending

Chapter Twenty

Over the next few weeks, Eponine adjusted to living with Grantaire. She and Enjolras hardly had any contact anymore. On occasions when they were both at the cafe with their friends, they would avoid eye contact and hardly speak. Enjolras thought that letting her go would be the easiest thing to do, but he was finding it to be very hard, especially whenever he saw her. He could see that she was trying to hide behind a facade that everything was ok, when she probably was still hurting. Now, they were both pretending. Enjolras tried to silence the nagging voice in his head that was telling him to do anything possible to reconcile with her. He tried to tell himself that he would forget about everything and move on eventually and that she would do the same. However, he was finding that all this pretending was a very daunting and exhausting task.

Eponine was struggling just as much. Living with Grantaire was helping because it put distance between her and Enjolras, but she still found herself thinking of him all the time. She desperately wanted him to love her in return, and even though she knew it was impossible, she somehow still couldn't completely let go. Being as stubborn as she was, she refused to make the first move. She wanted him to come to her and make things right. Eponine decided that going to him and trying to force things right again would only cause her more pain. She couldn't take that, so she recognized that it was best to sit back and wait, even if he never came to her. Even if that meant waiting the time she needed to heal and move on.

0000

It was late one evening, about two weeks after Eponine left, and Enjolras was exhausted. He couldn't sleep, and he lay in his bed, tossing and turning. The little nagging voice in his head wouldn't shut up, and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and rest. After hours of fighting with his mind, Enjolras dragged himself out of bed, willing to see if a walk would help. He pulled on his clothes and sluggishly left the apartment. He wandered the streets, hands stuffed in his pockets and admiring the stars. It was rather peaceful. He paid no mind to where he was going but let his feet take him wherever they pleased. After traveling for who knows how long, he decided it was time to turn back. His eyelids were becoming heavier and heavier with every step, so he decided to take some shortcuts down alleys.

When he turned down one alley, he saw a group at the other end heading his direction. They were laughing and talking loudly, appearing to be drunk. As they approached each other, Enjolras noticed they were all dressed in National Guard uniforms. The blood in Enjolras's veins ran cold, and for a moment, he considered turning back in the opposite direction. However, he quickly decided against it. It would look to obvious. Besides, it was dark, they were off duty, and they were clearly drunk. He continued on, keeping his head down and hoping they paid him no mind. He managed to pass them successfully, but his relief was quickly exchanged with panic.

"Hey, I know you!" one of them slurred.

Enjolras kept walking, picking up his pace, but part of the group was faster, and they caught up with him. He found himself very quickly surrounded.

"Yeah, you're that rebellion leader. The one with the red coat," another said.

"You're mistaken," Enjolras declared.

"No I'm not! You killed one of my friends. I thought you were dead!" the one who first spoke exclaimed.

"Well, he should be. I shot him myself, upstairs in that cafe!" a third cried.

"I'm sorry, officers, but I don't have a clue what you're talking about," Enjolras lied.

He knew he was in deep trouble.

"Don't lie to me!" the first yelled, clearly the leader of the group.

Suddenly, he launched his fist at Enjolras, connecting with his jaw.

"That was for killing my friend," he sneered.

Then, the assault began. Enjolras tried to fight back, but he was quickly over powered by the group of six or so. They continued to punch and kick, even as he collapsed to the ground. He heard their cackling laughter and felt their boots make contact with his ribcage as his vision went hazy. One final kick to the head did him in, and his world went black.

0000

When Enjolras finally came to, he found the sun to be setting. Had he really been out for almost an entire day? His whole body ached and he knew he needed medical attention. On first instinct, he decided to try to make it to Joly's apartment. He tried with all his might to pull himself up. His head and abdomen screamed with pain, making the edges of his vision turn white, but he finally managed to stand. Very slowly, he made his way to the edge of the alley, each step taking his breath away. He continued on despite the pain, knowing he had to make it to Joly. By the time he reached Joly's apartment, he was gasping for breath, his ears were ringing, and he could barely stand. He slammed his palm against the door with as much force as he could manage and Musichetta opened the door, her eyes widening.

She gasped, "Alexandre, come quick!"

Joly appeared, confused by his wife's distressed tone, but when he saw Enjolras standing there about to collapse due to pain, he quickly rushed to his friend's side and led him to the couch.

"What's happened, Enjolras?" Joly questioned.

"It was National Guardsmen. They attacked me last night. I just came to," he rasped.

Joly immediately began to tend to his wounds and Musichetta ran out to get Combeferre.

0000

It had just gotten dark and Eponine and Grantaire had just finished dinner when there was a frantic knock at the door. Eponine opened it to an out of breath Musichetta.

"'Chetta, are you alright?" she asked.

"It's Enjolras. He's been attacked."

Eponine paled and her heart lurched. For that moment, all her anger disappeared, and she was immediately worried for the friend who had done so much for her, the friend that she loved.

"Grant, Enjolras is hurt!" she exclaimed.

"Let's go, 'Ponine."

He laced his arm through hers, and they followed Musichetta, traveling as fast as they could. Musichetta recounted the whole incident to them as they walked. She explained that he was a bit better than when he came to the apartment. Eponine was on the verge of tears by the time they got there. However, when they walked in, and she saw Enjolras resting there, all bruised and beaten up, she froze. She was there face to face with the man she loved, yet the man who had hurt her greatly. She wanted nothing more than to comfort him, but at the same time she didn't dare take a step closer. She stared down at her feet, her arms folded across her chest. The tension in the room was heavy and awkward.

"Give us a moment," she heard him whisper, and she knew he meant he wanted to talk to her.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly after everyone dispersed.

"Eponine, please look at me," he pleaded.

She ignored him.

"I'm so sorry, 'Ponine."

Hearing him call her 'Ponine again softened her a bit, but she still refused to say anything or look at him.

"You were right. I was afraid, and I thought, for some reason, I would fix everything by acting like a complete idiot. You see, in my head I thought a relationship was something I would never want. I made myself believe that I didn't need to be with anyone, that it was too complicated. When I found myself getting close to you, I panicked and pushed you away. It was stupid and ridiculous and childish. I've tried and tried to let you go, but I just can't and this nagging voice in the back of my mind is driving me insane. I hope you forgive me because I've realized that I need you, 'Ponine. I honestly love you."

Eponine's breath hitched in her throat when she heard those words come out of his mouth. Finally, she looked up at him, caramel eyes meeting sparkling blue.

"You…you do?" she asked, not believing it to be true.

"More than anything," he breathed.

Tears filled her eyes, and she ran to him to kneel by the couch where he reclined, and she threw her arms around his neck in a hug. He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close.

She moved back to look at him, "I love you too."

Then, he leaned in and placed a long, gentle kiss on her lips.

**Author's Note: Well! Is that what everyone's been waiting for? Don't get too excited. (Sorry!) Trouble is still ahead for our lovely couple. There aren't too many chapters left, but I'm not sure exactly how many. Thank you so much for all your reviews and support. They have meant so much! I'll try to update again soon. Please review and let me know how you feel about this chapter or what you think may lie ahead for our characters! Thanks again!**

**~loislane16**


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